Triumf

Sometimes good actors, script or directing can save a blank story and make it watchable. None of these are present in a movie ridden with cliches, uninspired acting and "clever" insiders jokes, which can only be understood by a very narrow demographic.

The attempt at cinematic shooting fails spectacularly, with unnecessary scenes ongoing for minutes, without bringing anything to the story arc. Characters are one dimensional and their fate is sealed from the moment they appear, with obvious visual clues ensuring that there will be no surprises in the character development, as such doesn't exist.

The good news - the two minutes trailer tells you the full story, omitting only a flaccid sex scene.

The hole of Tsarichina is one of the most interesting conspiracy theories in Bulgarian history and therefore it is a beautiful material for a movie. When I saw that this movie was being made I was really excited.

However, my expectations were too good to be true. This movie wastes the huge potential for an amazing plot, delivering only disappointment after watching it.

The movie has several problems. The first one is the unstructured and goalless plot, which delivers nothing of the expected and wanted result (the progression in the hole mining). The second one is the uneven speed of the plot, where at first nothing much happens and at some point it launches at light speed. These problems emerge from the absence of clear goal. I don't know what needs to progress because the movie doesn't reveal the final goal.

The humor is pretty goofy and unintelligent. There are several sexual jokes which bring nothing but cringe and annoyance.

I am really disappointed they took this amazing idea, implemented it in the script in the worst way possible and now there is almost no chance that a movie is made for the Hole of Tsarichina.

The 2 stars given are because they took on the idea in the first place. Nothing else in the movie fulfills my high expectations.

I've never written a review on this platform before and I'm certainly not a film critic, but come on, are there really only one-star reviews here? I don't think this film deserves such harsh criticism.

First off, all the actors delivered strong performances, especially Maria Bakalova. She truly shines in this role - her acting is very expressive and even when she's silent, her eyes speak volumes. Her character evolves beautifully throughout the film, growing from a naive, childlike figure into a more confident young woman who embraces her own weirdness. We don't often see such interesting, layered female characters in Bulgarian cinema, and I truly appreciated that.

I understand that some viewers might have expected more focus on the true story, but this isn't a documentary after all. The film still manages to tell a compelling story and even includes a few lighthearted, giggle-worthy moments without falling into clichés or recycling tired jokes - something I find all too common in recent Bulgarian comedies.

In conclusion, I believe Triumph is well worth watching. It offers an intriguing narrative inspired by real events, and above all, it features excellent acting. Give it a chance, it might surprise you.