Vétéran

Jack London's novel "Martin Eden" not only inspired Pietro Marcello's Italian film of the same name with Luca Marinelli, but is also the template for this interesting television film from the Czech Republic.

After twenty years in the Foreign Legion, Martin (very impressive: Milan Ondrik) returns to his hometown of Brno. It's difficult for him to get there, but he finds balance in illegal cage fights. Although he finds a new love, he has to face the changes of life and a dark guilt from his past...

Along the way, director Jan Hrebejk and screenwriter Marek Epstein succeed in dissecting Czech society, which could also represent many other countries in Europe.

Worth seeing for a television film and well done!

I definitely fell in love with this film speaking of a war veteran getting back home and trying to find a new life. It is is accurate, dark, gritty and poignant, gripping, sad and so beautiful in the same time. I know that I probably will the only one among an idiots herd to appreciate this film, the story of an anti hero as I crave for. A little gem for me. Acting and directing are purely awesome. Tremendous, terrific scenes, such as this one, when the lead character tries to kill himself under a sand giant pipe, on a construction site, or the sequence when he goes suddenly berserk, with his shoes. I felt thrills all over my skin; it had been explained what does that mean for him. An awesome piece of work. Just enjoy, if you dare or are able to.

Veteran is a recent TV movie adapted nowadays from Martin Eden by Jack London. Martin is no more a sailor but a tough légionnaire, strongly played by hypnotizing Milan Ondrik. The script keeps the general situations, but in modern society. The direction is always accurate in showing that tough Martin always making the best choices for everybody, he's always fascinating with his fast and tough decisions. Really strong work by director Jan Hrebejk and scriptwriter Marek Epstein. A must see. Thanks for the tip, Phil.