Dovbush

I will start with caste. Serhiy Strelnikov was a good choice for the role of Oleksa Dovbush, at least he looked natural, but while watching the film I thought that Strelnikov was playing Batman, not Dovbush. I can single out Oleksiy Hnatkovsky in the role of Ivan Dovbush, who turned out to be the best character in the film. Ivan took all the attention when he was with Oleksa.

Cinematography sometimes pleased me, and sometimes disappointed me, especially in the very first battle scene, although this is probably a question for the director. Beautiful views of the Carpathians and beautifully staged battles.

The artists and directors surpassed everyone and everything.

Dovbush is a technically competent film that impresses visually, especially with its mountain scenes. Despite a relatively low budget (by international standards), it manages to blend legends and myths about Oleksa Dovbush into an entertaining package. However, this blend is where the film stumbles, presenting a loosely connected mix of random retellings.

Apparently realizing the story lacked cohesion, the filmmakers chose to inject Pirates of the Caribbean-esque vibes, quirky humor, and intense action. This artistic decision makes for easy viewing if you're not too concerned with character motivation, coherence, or traditional script structure. The "final revenge battle" occurs prematurely, leaving the film without a strong climax.

Despite its flaws, Dovbush wasn't a bad film. As a Ukrainian, I was pleasantly surprised by my compatriots' ability to deliver a reasonably competent production. It wasn't as politically charged as I expected, though some character depictions might still ruffle feathers (despite the creators' attempts to distance themselves from controversy in the intro credits).

Should non-Ukrainians watch it? Possibly. Will they be sufficiently entertained? Probably not. While the film does a good job playing with Carpathian legends and myths, the lack of a comprehensive storyline significantly undermines its overall impact.

Ukrainian history is rich. Lots of heroes, legends, epic events worth an adaption. Finally one of them came alive.

18th century. Oleksa Dovbush - kind of a Carpathian Robin Hood. He robs feudal lords, helps poor villagers. He's got a bounty on his head. Competition between him and his brother, forbidden love - all here.

Classic plot, yet entertaining to watch.

Carpathian scenery by itself is a character. Mysterious, foggy and beautiful. It's an interesting thing to observe, how Dovbush and his opryshki (name of rebels' group) set ambushes and fight, using their perfect mountain landscape knowledge.

As for the battle scenes - that's another achievement. Normally, you won't get really large scale battles, however fight choreography is good and realistic.

Overall, movie is beautifully shot and intriguing historic adventure.

This film is a testament to practical filmmaking, with a small (~USD$4m, 2018) budget, the talented filmmakers created amazing scenes, sets, costumes, and action scenes that kept me eagerly waiting for what's next.

The action was incredibly well choreographed and executed, and not to mention just downright fun to watch.

The practical effects were simple, well executed, and incredibly effective. I couldn't find any obvious CGI, and I was just blown away by the action scenes.

The chemistry of the actors was perfect and the performances were all top notch.

I was honestly surprised with how funny it was. The dialogue was often hilarious, and most jokes translated very well into English.

I watched this with someone fluent in Ukrainian, and they said the subtitle translations were very well done. I often find subtitles aren't translated properly and it can distract, but it was very well done.

I'd wager, it's a film that will put Ukrainian filmmaking onto the map.

SLAVA UKRAINI!

Spectacular. Important. Deep. This film about a legend gives the feel of a legend. Stunning (!) cinematography, reflecting the pristine nature of the Ukrainian Carpathian mountains, historically accurate reproduction of the early 18th century life and costumes, the living language... Extremely convincing acting, couldn't imagine these roles being played by someone else, or characters looking any different. The film manages to render the spirit of convincing mass scenes of combat (therefore age limit 16+), unimaginable stunts with horses and carriages - features of an action film - and at the same time, unlike many action films, it is thought-provoking, has a deep meaning underneath it all. The protagonist - Oleksa Dovbush (could be compared to England's Robin Hood) - and his brother. What is the meaning of being a fighter? Do you want to liberate your people? Do you want glory? Or love? Would you choose personal well-being over your people's? On top of all, some political intrigue, some betrayals, deaths, big and small victories... The film is fast-paced, with flashbacks, twists and turns of the plot, but you don't think about the pace, you just live there and want to stay there. Every scene (if you think about it) seems to be extremely well thought out, titanic work. Based on numerous legends, as well as historical records, the film is the director's version of the hero's life. Being historically accurate in many ways, the film, at the same time, creates the atmosphere of being close to a legend. It's not glum, it's inspirational, and makes you want to watch it again (and again).