The Legions

This is what happens when excellent camera work, great cinematography, very tasteful color scheme, pretty promising ideas clash with hasty tempo, very surfac-y delivery, thin character development, very sketchy plot.

What makes it really annoying, is the fact of how many new people appear in the course of the movie... and then disappear. You simply have no time to sympathize or hate anyone there.

It seems that filmmakers had a grand vast array of plot lines but lack of time and finance made it cut short and abrupt.

Having said that, the battle scenes are shot well, Russians speak without any accent, but then, again, they were not all bearded or talking about vodka or so cruel.

Even Pan Jozef Pilsudski is shown in a very weird and sketchy style... pity.

Several great Polish actors have very little screen time, which is also a huge minus here.

Pity, but the promising movie failed, not with a dull plod but with a faint whimp rather.

I expected more... I am rather dillusioned now.

The movie tells the story of Polish Legions that fight for the reestablishment of their motherland after 123 years of the Partition of Poland. While the historical aspects are presented quite well, underlying the patriotism and bravery of the Legionairies, the romantic plot that emerges between a deserter Jozek, a Legionairy Tadek and a young fighting woman Ola seems to lack some resolution. Female lead acting isn't the strongest, the emotional aspects seem to be missing, and the character of Ola ultimately appears to be bland and shallow, especially in the way she treats Józek in the end. Jozek is a much more complex character: withdrawn, brave, distant and a bit of a loner, he makes an intriguing individual. The actor definitely delivers. He deserves a better confrontation with Tadek and Ola as the way the love story ends seems like an unfinished business, something that was nice when it was needed but was ultimately shrugged off by the girl in a surprisingly emotionless way. All in all, it's a great movie about Polish people and their incredible patriotic spirit. I just wish the romance was at least half as powerful as the will of the Legionaries to recover their home.

By the beginning of WWI Poland did not exist as a country; it was partitioned among Russia. The Austro-Hungarian Empire and Prussia.. When war broke out Poland's nationalists saw an opportunity to to use the upheaval to procure the reinstatement and independence of Poland. The first priority was to defeat Tsarist Russia. The Poles were no supporters of the Central Powers but believed that the rest of the occupying powers could later be persuaded (or forced) to leave.

The formation of the Polish Legions was declared by Marshall Józef Pilsudski in August 1914 as independent formations of the Austro-Hungarian Army. The Legions only existed for two years (in 1916 they merged with other military formations) but participated in many battles and became one of the founding myths of modern Poland.

This movie covers the beginnings of the Legions and some of its initial battles, centering on three fictional characters, Legion members Józek and Tadeusz and Aleksandra, fighter and war nurse. There are Hollywood echoes, such as the heroic exploits of Józek and Tadeusz, and credibility is strained here and there such as in the blowing up of a bridge. The film does not really come together into a coherent whole, and it feels at times slow paced and overlong. It omits history, which possibly means it was aimed towards the Polish public. On the positive side, it does not preach or propagandize and contains some stirring war scenes such as a cavalry charge over enemy trenches. Production values and acting are of high level. It amply deserves to a watch.

The overall low rating is a disgrace. No it's not a straight forward hero action movie. It is a beautiful story, great filming and superb acting. It attracted me from the first to the last minute. It is a little bit in the tradition of love and peace of Tolstoj. Watching this movie it learns you why Poland always have such a difficult relationship with Russia. The struggle to fight for freedom against a stronger opponent.

Perhaps some remember the great views of Tarkovsky and blanc, bleu and rouge of kieslowsli. Polish films often give a deep and lasting impression. Go watch it for yourself..

IN A NUTSHELL:

In 1914, shortly after the start of World War I, the Polish Legions were formed to fight for a sole purpose; independence. Battling against vast empires, the young, quick-witted legionnaires endured the onslaught of world powers to secure Poland's sovereignty. The story follows Joseph, a deserter turned warrior, and Ola, an intelligence agent, through this tale of love and sacrifice in the face of great odds.

The film is a winner of the 2019 Polish Golden Lions award. Legions is presented by Janson Media in North America. This production from Poland is a thrilling tale of the legionary generation of 1914-1916 during WW1, which won Poland's Independence. Legions tells the story of young people who did not hesitate to join the vortex of struggle for regaining statehood and a free Poland.

THINGS I LIKED: I hadn't seen any of the actors in the cast before but I thought they did an outstanding job. The cast includes Sebastian Fabijanski, Bartosz Gelner, Wiktoria Wolanska, Miroslaw Baka, Jan Fryzc, Karolina Kominek-Skuratowicz, and more.

I'm fascinated by war movies.

Beautiful cinematography I loved the sweeping and dramatic musical score Decent special effects.

The love triangle reminded me of Pearl Harbor At the end of the movie, we get to see photos of the real men and women in Poland who fought in the war to secure their country's autonomy.

My husband has ancestors from Poland! We'd both love to visit the country someday.

I don't know anything about the specific battles that are enacted in the movie, so I can't tell you how accurate they or even the costume design are, but they all seemed believable.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Sometimes, it's hard to understand what people say. I watched the movie dubbed in English, so it was usually because the voice-over actors talked so quietly or quickly.

Some of the dialogue is pretty cliched.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be bored.

Violence Blood Super high body count. People die, often in gory, brutal ways Weapons of various kinds

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