Rise of the Raven

This film has no features to shame for, it has correct script, acting, scenery, the visuality is acceptible. The story is dynamic, the sets are well built. Like 'Kincsem,' it is absolute watchable, but if it wasn't a hungarian movie, it wouldn't be interesting for me.

Unfortunately, it is precisely the portrayal of the main character that seems to me to be a weak point, at least after watching the first two episodes. Kádár Gellért's Hunyadi is the 'hero,' nothing more. Muscular, sober and handsome enough, a perfect fitness model, but he has no specific character traits, exciting identity, charisma, you can't feel the passion, obsession in him, nor erudition, nor brute force, like in Mel Gibson's Braveheart, for example. In the opening scene his parents are killed by the turks, ok, but for starting and motivation it is a little bit clichéd. Sex scenes are unnecessary, uninteresting, dull, there is nothing erotic in them. Torocsik Franciska is good, but not charismatic, Muratha Muslu is great, awesome in the role of a fearsome power.

So it is a correct movie, but won't be a cult film (as Controll, Argo, A tanú, for example).

It's fun to watch a series about yor neighbours and especially historical one which is more or less on point. Well, emphasis on more or less.

And doing that exactly from the town that was historically of high importance for the main character. Town of Celje (Cili), town or the Counts of Celje especially Ulrik II. Who is actually depicted in this series.

It's a bit sad that our Hungarian friends didn't invite any Slovenian actor to play Ulrik as they did for the Serbian counterpart (although he is not serbian actor) with Serbedzija. But ok.

So far so good for a non Netflixian production and money. Without any real big financial backer, this series does actually a great job.

Still think that a good and tenacious fact checker can't be that expensive, so they should have hired one, but ok.

I'll give it a go. After first three episodes i am intrigued. Let's see where the Raven takes us!

Big congrads to Hungary and Ostereich (ORF).

First of all, if you are not familiar with the late medieval history of Central- and Eastern Europe, you should know that it was very complex and diverse, with many nations, factions, religions, full of heroes and battles, intrigue and treason. The most serious threat to this part of the world was the Ottoman Empire, the strongest military power of that time occupying countries, massacring and enslaving whole provinces. So choosing the proper allies (or even betraying them in the right moment) was a question of life or death.

All of these offer a great basis for 'Game of Thrones'-like TV series, but with real historical background.

The Hunyadi (Rise of the Raven) TV series is set into this context.

The title character, John Hunyadi (1407-1456) was a nobleman later becoming the regent of the Hungarian Kingdom. He served two years in the army of the Duke of Milan upon King Sigismund's order, he fought the Hussites and adopted their tactics. All these experiences helped him to build up a well organised army, and gain success against the Ottomans. His ultimate victory was at the siege of Belgrade in 1456, which stopped the Ottomans' western expansion for about 70 years.

One of the greatest pros in this series is using many languages altogether, most of the characters speaking their mother tongue. Which is not just very unique in the whole film industry, but gives a lot of authenticity, and it is highly respectful toward the diverse cultural heritage of Europe.

This TV series is based on a long and quite popular historical novel series, "Hunyadi" by Mór Bán, with 12 already published books and 2 more to come later.

And yes, unfortunately this leads to the downside. The Hunyadi TV series was perfect if one season would just treat one or two books of the novel series. But I suppose there was no chance for that, and they rather put it altogether into a 10-episode-long, single season series. And that's sad, because this leaves not much time to get to know all the characters, or understand the exact political and military situation of those times.

Of course there are fictitious parts in the series, but most of the story line is based on real historical events, most of the characters are based on real historical figures, and there are many small details which are actually historically correct.

This series is not without errors, but the subject and the multi-language approach makes it very unique and a "must-see" to anyone interested in medieval history.

Although the plot is not perfect it worths to watch. In the beginning the story starts pretty slow, but as the show progresses and we get to know the characters and their background it becomes much more interesting and almost impossible to stop watching. I think the fight scenes and the action part is well made and the political lines are just as complicated as needed but beside all this I still have strange feeling as if this would have been better with more seasons. The only thing I would like to ask from all the showrunners: we neked a seques with King Matthias in the main role. We need that!

A roughly historically accurate series from the 15th century Hungary with monumental battle scenes and traditional male image. During the Osman-Turkish invasion of the Balkan, the vaivode of Transylvania, János Hunyadi tries to expel the muslim conquerors from Europe. Although he has Christian enemies as well (the Habsburgs and their vassal, the sly Count, Ulrik Cillei, who is the "Littlefinger" of the series and Vlad "Dracul" Tepes, the orthodox vaivode of Wallachia), he achieves many legendary victories on the Turks and as the elected Governor of Hungary, he becomes the saviour of Christian Europe and the father of the mightiest Hungarian king, Matthias Corvinus. The castle of János Hunyadi is watchable in Transylvania in our days as well: the Vajdahunyad castle is the most beautiful Gothic fortification in Central Europe.