V síti
Cinematography:
Adam KrulišComposer:
Jonatán PastirčákCast:
Sabina Dlouhá, Anežka Pithartová, Tereza Těžká, Vít Klusák, Barbora Chalupová, Jan Vlček, Barbora Potužníková, Michaela Petriláková, Kateřina Kroupová (more)Plots(1)
Everyone knows something like this is happening. But this is the only experiment to fully demonstrate what excessive openness on the internet means. The filmmaking couple hired youthful-looking (but over 18) actresses to pretend to be prepubescent girls and communicate with strangers who approached them based on their fake accounts. They attracted dozens of men in the first ten days, then hundreds, and finally thousands. The numbers of those looking for sexual satisfaction from the interactions are shocking. Most of the middle-aged men stopped at nothing to lure the supposed children into sending them photos or videos. And after weeks of online communication, there was even a personal meeting, held under the watchful eye of hidden bodyguards. What are sexual predators capable of? (One World)
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Reviews (10)
Although I still can't get rid of the impression that there was primarily calculation in Caught in the Net, but when the result is ultimately what it is, I can't even hold it against the creators. If the situation is really one that surprised parents (as well as documentary-makers) don't realize the danger lurking for children on the internet, they need not only to be told, but in fact shown. And it's a really ugly and disturbing spectacle, and in places very suggestive from my point of view. I take my hat off mainly to the trio of actresses, but it's too bad that Anežka Pithartová got probably the least space, because I think she “played" the best with the callers. Her seemingly innocent questions did not have the slightest chance of peeking through, but the viewer, who knows what is going on, could perhaps enjoy how refined the traps are and the hunting accuracy the actress places them.
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As a standalone film, it wouldn't be as good or as powerful as the whole combo of a film for adults and juveniles, and a book and awareness. I am thankful for the clarity, playfulness and ugliness. This is exactly what was needed and I sincerely hope that a miracle will happen in some families. It is already clear that this is Klusák's second biggest notch after Czech Dream.
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Caught In the Net will surely go down in the history of Czech documentary filmmaking (if it hasn’t already), because it deals with (how else) a very hot topic that I hope will not leave many viewers cold. Watching this straightforward probe into the virtual world of sexual predators, you will say WTF?! The makers and actresses definitely deserve a big thank you for their courage to tackle such an issue and translate it to the screen in an appealing and instructive way. In the course of a hundred minutes, you encounters all sorts of individuals, from perfectly harmless people to utter moral scum without a shred of empathy or judgement. I hope that the message of this bold undertaking will not go to waste and will make many people think.
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I must express my admiration for the creators who embarked on such an ambitious project for an undeniably laudable purpose. The topics they deal with are not just a problem, but a pretty woeful stain of today’s society that needs to be addressed. The question is whether it should be in such a brutal form – personally, I couldn’t avoid the feeling that I was watching a theatre play, though I have no doubt that this is how it really happens and that I was watching real, despicable human creatures on screen. The problem is that, despite all the declaims of authenticity, the documentary is terribly manipulative and forces the viewer to a one-sided interpretation of each idea and dialogue, even before they happen. And that’s how the most touching scene is supposed to be the conversation with a decent 20 y.o. boy who doesn’t want nudes, but just enjoys communicating with 12 y.o. kids (which I still feel it’s weird). The scenes and the format overall are effective, but mainly because of the way the creators use all the formal resources to play with the viewer, who is automatically expected to empathise a participate emotionally – and yeah, there were a couple of times that it almost lifted me from my seat, but I often laughed at the soundbites of the characters (or the actors, I really don’t know where the acting ends) because the “reaction shots” format actually called for that. It’s certainly an interesting and even praiseworthy piece of work and it’s good that someone other than the sexually torn Langmajer is filling Czech cinemas, but regardless of my acknowledgement of the message, I don’t believe the creators much, unfortunately. In any case, thumbs up to the trio of actresses, they were amazing. 65%
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The Czech event of the year, which should probably be seen by everyone, although only parents and grandparents will be shocked by it. Caught In the Net is a documentary with a good idea presented in a form that doesn't bore, so even people who don't watch documentaries should give it chance. It focuses on three young girls with childlike features that make them look 12 years old as they explore the darkness of social networking sites full of sexual predators. But it is Tereza Těžka who gets most of the attention, giving the most believable performance of all (the final 20 minutes are very gripping and emotional). I wonder if Caught In the Net will be shown compulsorily at schools one day. Story****, Action>No, Humor***, Violence>No, Entertainment****, Music**, Visual**, Atmosphere****, Suspense***. 8/10.
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