Corpus Christi

Jan Komasa is definitely talented and I consider his film The Hater to be the best of modern Polish cinema. Corpus Christi has been sitting on my disc for about a year and I didn't want to get into it because of the subject matter. In the end, it's quite digestible, but certainly nothing that would make me fall to my knees. Bartosz Bielenia's acting is great and I enjoyed the scenes from the pimp, but the scenes from the church less so. The intense finale saves it quite a bit, and the character of Bonus is really monstrous, but I would have preferred if the main character had gone on more of a rampage with women, drugs, alcohol, which only outlined to a lesser degree, and I'm not going to spend stars just for the story. Story 4/5, Action 2/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 2/5, Fun 3/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 3/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Suspense 2/5, Emotion 3/5. 6/10. (26/08/2021)

Meh. A high-quality premise drowned in the traditionally flat style of the Polish art school. The best part are the opening and final scenes, they are staged in an original way and pulse with the life denied by the rest of the cold story. The ideas are nice and pretty strong at times, but it all looks as if only mindless individuals without any spark were moving in front of the camera. A very standard festival flick that unfortunately leans too much on the safe side and with a thematic simplicity that can never get close to Haneke’s The White Ribbon. 65% (28/12/2020)

The film sticks to a relatively well-established storyline about a newcomer in a closed and torn community, who inadvertently brings it together through his actions, but who is still unable escape his past. Even the film’s form is quite common throughout most of its running time. What is not as common is the incredibly expressive and even demonic Bartosz Bielenia, who gives an extraordinary performance in the main role and carries the whole film on his shoulders, as well as the perspective of his character, looking at the world through God and thereby getting to know himself. The film also delivers through its comprehensively processed theme of religious faith and a static camera, which in the end surprises when it suddenly and justifiably starts moving at a key moment. This remarkable drama also excels in its elaborate script and serves as further proof that even an intimate film with a small budget and only a few locations can be shot in such a way as to provide the viewer with a strong and exceptionally impressive experience. (30/09/2020)

A classic western scheme about a stranger in a forgotten town, but this time with a truly full-bodied script that puts one challenge after another in front of the hero, and we know that he's going to snap at any moment, so we'd rather enjoy every moment of his theatrics that we're afforded along with him. The improbable plot could otherwise quite easily have been brought to heel, notwithstanding the excellent cinematography and direction (the brutal Noer-esque ending proves what an eclectic director Komasa is), but for the fact that it has such an unqualified and interesting cast. The protagonist in particular, a surreal mutant hybrid of Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Cillian Murphy, has one of the most interesting faces I've seen in a long time, and he leaves a lot unspoken and mysterious right up to the end, even though we watch the entire film through his lens. He's going to be a great Bond villain. (23/12/2020)

I’m giving five stars to another Polish film with a religious theme. While Clergy was on a much more serious subject, this film complements it perfectly and exposes not just the priests but also their flock who follow Christian teachings to the letter when it comes to Old Testament punishments, but not exactly when it comes to the beam in their own eye and loving their neighbor. I'd say it was an educative film, except that those who know don’t need teaching and those for whom it was primarily intended are virtually unteachable. (03/05/2021)

"I am a murderer. Yes, you heard right. I killed. I killed with a thought. I killed by inaction. I killed by deed. You know what we're good at? Condemnation. Finger-pointing. To forgive is not to forget. That doesn't mean pretending nothing happened. To forgive is to love. To love someone regardless of their guilt. Whatever it may be." - The mesmerizing Bartosz Bielenia as a self-proclaimed fake priest sends a timeless message with his unique acting style that there is good and evil in every human being. It is then up to you what you prefer at the time. It also kind of depends on what society or the community you live in allows you to do. The fascinating drama Corpus Christi contains some powerful ideas and remarkable reflections. You will also find some impressively filmed scenes that make your blood run cold. It is a very good film with an original story that is definitely worth watching. (95%) (11/01/2022)