Burning Bush

200 minutes of exquisite filmmaking and beautiful sets only to learn that the communists were/are manipulative and heartless bastards? The first two episodes work perfectly well, script-wise and dramaturgically, and the story, spread among many characters, unfolds as smoothly and casually as the life of the Sultan of Brunei, but in the last part things get unfortunately relegated to a poorly built-up trial that gives too much space to politics and suppresses the real human emotions so abundantly present in the previous two episodes. Nevertheless, it’s an exceptional achievement in terms of direction, music and especially the actors, meeting almost world-class parameters for a strong biopic. This is the path that Czech cinema should take, and the international awards will certainly not be long in coming. 85% (17/05/2014)

An epitaph to the dark past of the Czechoslovak nation. A past that took the smile off the people’s faces and yet thirty percent of them want to return to it. It’s sad that a foreign filmmaker had to be hired to capture this past in a dignified manner. Agnieszka Holland confirms her status as a quality dramaturge, and you can sense from the film that the subject matter is close to her heart. Considering it’s a TV production, Burning Bush is well written, convincingly acted and visually attractive, making it worthy of the big screen. I was most impressed by the first, most human third. (10/10/2013)

By the end, I was fidgeting a bit, but that was due to the movie theatre seat - otherwise I can say almost without exaggeration that I watched the film version of Burning Bush without moving for almost three and a quarter hours. That's how haunting I found this extraordinary work, and still do a day later. Of course, seeing the series version, pretty much one episode at a time, maybe (and that’s a big maybe) some of the flaws would show up, because perhaps I would have time to notice them. But this way the film didn't give me a single pretext. The actors, the script, direction, set design... Everything at a very high level. The first third was the best, but the rest was definitely not a disgrace to the film. I give it five of the purest stars. (14/11/2013)

Here the Lord's messenger appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a thorn bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire but was not consumed. [Exodus, 3.2] The masterful dramatization of events, the echoes of which still haunt us today. Štěpán Hulík chose the most difficult path, examining Palach's act from several angles. He seamlessly transitions from personal testimony to a conspiracy thriller and then to a legal drama, with each having its firmly anchored place in the plot. The way director Agnieszka Holland observes the whole situation is admirable because instead of serving a cheap epitaph of an extreme act, she offers an analytical probe into the era, which primarily calls the nation's conscience into question, a nation known for its very short memory. A multitude of excellent actors (I personally salute Jaroslava Pokorná), a multimillion-dollar budget squeezed to the last drop, and a cinematic event that reminds us that not all films are meant only to entertain us. I can't remember the last time something resonated so strongly within me. (13/01/2014)

Burning Bush is an absolutely perfect work of art and I would love to express my gratitude to the Polish director Mrs. Holland. I would also like to thank HBO for being bold enough to pour so much money into such an important premise, to have the Palach story made into a movie. My thanks also go out to the actors, who showed everybody what good actors they are, and the screenwriter for writing such a good and well-rounded story about Jan Palach. I really have no words to say. Burning Bush is such a demanding and depressing story that all the time it was being told on my screen, I had an unpleasant feeling, I felt sick and sad. I really felt something I seldom feel when watching a movie. It wasn’t only because this movie is about the history of my country, but mainly because it is absolutely amazing cinematography, which shouldn’t be overlooked under any circumstances. The best thing about it is the way they work with emotions – they got my nerves going as well as the nerves of the actors who were working on the movie. The initial outburst of an effort to change things was all of the sudden replaced with fear and hopelessness. This heavy blanket fell on an entire generation until in 1989 the new generation had their voices heard, who were not affected by the 1960’s, and who did away with the communist swine once and for all. By the way, don’t try to tell me that today’s communists are different people. If they were completely different people, they couldn’t be wiping their asses with Palach’s legacy on the anniversary of his death, saying he was a leftist. If there is anybody who should rot in hell, it’s Grebeníček, Filip and all them commie sons-of-bitches, who keep using a sickle and hammer as a logo for their leftist party. My only hope is that people won’t be so stupid again and that they won’t get riled up with political speeches. It was enough they failed at the presidential election, which took a bit of my hope again. Nevertheless, as they say, hope dies last, and the plot of Burning Bush sticks to this credo. And the plot won’t let me sleep for as long as I live. (11/02/2013)