Dovbush

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).

Dovbush is the story of the legendary Ukrainian opryshok Oleksa Dovbush, which captures not only the beauty of the Carpathian landscapes but also the skillfully recreated atmosphere of the struggle for justice and freedom. The film immerses the viewer in the complex world of the eighteenth-century Hutsul region, where ordinary people rise up against oppressors, believing in strength and honor. The director has captured the spirit of Ukrainian folklore extremely accurately, giving the story an epic scale. The acting is impressive, especially in the main roles - in every movement you can feel the devotion to the idea and understanding of the importance of this figure for Ukrainian culture. Although the plot is sometimes a bit slow, this is compensated for by the attention to detail and insightful moments that emphasize the courage and deep feelings of the characters. Dovbush is an impressive tribute to the past and a powerful reminder of the value of national identity. Eight out of ten for the authenticity, atmosphere, and inspiration this story provides.

The story of Oleksa Dovbush is the story of a man in a feudal system. And moreover, this feudal system was made worse by the fact that the territory of Ukraine was occupied by Poland. In this story, the injustice of the lords towards ordinary peasants, oppression, humiliation, and all this provokes resistance. And this resistance in the film takes on a blockbuster scale.

The film is in some aspects similar to Quentin Tarantino's films, and echoes the story of Robin Hood. The plot develops dynamically. The acting is at a decent level. There are some questions about the performance of the mainstream actors.

A nice advantage of the film is that it was not made in Hollywood, which makes it unique, devoid of clichés.

This is a great film to learn a little more about Ukrainian culture and the suffering of this people throughout their difficult history.

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.

Captivating story from the European history, where a Robin Hood like leader of XVIII Ukrainian rebels stands against the oppressive Polish nobles. First thing why you should watch this film is scenery, it is simply out of this world. The film also conveys folk traditions in Ukrainian Carpathians and is done multi-lingual, which makes it very realistic. There are many side lines to the main plot, which makes the film captivating. The battle scenes are very professional, but I wouldn't recommend them to be seen by kids, as they're quite bloody. Interestingly, the film also shows Dovbush meeting Baal Shem Tov, a founder of Hassidic Judaism, though it's not explicitly mentioned in the film. Overall impression very good, much recommended!