Dark Blue World

The intention of screenwriter Zdeněk Svěrák to pay tribute to our airmen in the service of the RAF is very commendable. On the other hand, his calculated touches to the script are not very praiseworthy. "I'll put in the girl’s sad eyes, the Yanks will like that. A little sentimentality doesn't hurt either, they like to cry." When Jan Svěrák accepted the Oscar for Kolya, he promised to bring a little brother to the golden bald man. I'm sure he counted on it, but it didn't happen. In truth, he wouldn't have deserved it for Dark Blue World. He did devote five years of his life to it, an immeasurable effort, but the love story line plays too much on emotions and the scenes from the communist prisoner camp are not very convincing. Despite my reservations, I have to admit that the director made his money go very far. It is a paradox that the tribute to our airmen was not paid for by their native country, but that it was overwhelmingly financed by a company from the country the Czech airmen fought against. (08/05/2003)

It is a pity that Zdeněk Svěrák was unable to write a natural and credible love triangle. Dark Blue World lives up to all aspects except the love storyline... Which is a problem, because the tone of the film relies heavily on it. The more problematic the relationship between men and women sounds, the better the mutual friendships that old Mr. Svěrák simply "has in his hand" sound all the better. The transitions from the English battlefields to the communist prison are also excellent, creating a very bitter and sarcastic touch for the film. Maybe Dark Blue World was too ambitious a project... Although, despite all the negatives, it's still a great film. (24/04/2004)

My favorite Czech film, which matures in an incredible way. That's why I'm sad that it eventually got labeled as a calculated or unbelievable attempt. Svěrák's life's work, even on the tenth screening, still has a strong impact. Whether it's thanks to the unbeatable performance of the entire male ensemble or the touching and precisely targeted Soukup's music. I will continue to be moved or trembling in the Dark Blue World many more times. (04/02/2006)

Dark Blue World was a film that cost Jan Svěrák a lot of effort, and it can be said that he sacrificed offers from overseas that came after winning the Oscar, and this drama was supposed to become a showcase of his work. I avoided watching this film for a long time, or maybe it avoided me because I somehow instinctively felt that it wouldn't be my cup of tea. Today, I can say that the true showcase of Svěrák's work remains The Elementary School, or alternatively the beautifully emotional Kolja, but Dark Blue World, considering how much energy and effort the director put into it and how expensive of a project it was, can be considered more of a failure. It's not a disaster, because Svěrák is too experienced and talented of a creator for that, and so many good actors were involved in his project that it is not possible to label Dark Blue World a mistake. However, I get the feeling that stars are being added to the film to a certain extent for the topic and out of a sense of obligation rather than for the actual emotions that the film evokes. Svěrák once stated that he didn't have the prerequisites for certain genres, that he would never be able to make a horror film, no matter how good of a script he had at his disposal, and that is why he could never become a director who makes films on demand. Unfortunately, he can easily include war films among those genres he has no affinity for. Dark Blue World is much more of a love story set against the backdrop of World War II than a war film. The battle scenes were not interesting to me, and if I were to compare it with its genre companions, then Riders in the Sky or Memphis Belle leave Dark Blue World far behind. The film simply doesn't work as it should. Overall impression: 60%. (24/05/2015)

After 8 years I finally watched the DVD after many reruns on TV and at the movie theater... and I can definitely say that I love this movie and that it's aging like fine wine. :) There's nothing wrong with it. Period. As an interesting bonus for BBC Narnia fans, Sophie Wilcox appeared as WAAF Jane and that made me very happy too. (17/02/2009)

If you want grand action, an engaging romance and extravagant production design, watch Pearl Harbor. If you are a lover of more intimate films, smaller independent creators, and especially appreciate excellently portrayed Czech nostalgia, watch Dark Blue World and you will not be disappointed. Probably the greatest Czech film, which compared to its Western counterparts may seem like a poor relative, but Jan and Zdeněk Svěrák really stepped up and hats off to them. Ondřej Vetchý is excellent. (19/07/2014)

It's a bit of a shame, but I didn't get to see one of our most expensive and spectacular post-revolutionary films until more than two decades after it was made. Dark Blue World is without question an ambitious project with an international cast that easily stands comparison with foreign films of its time. In addition to the solid technical workmanship, Jan Svěrák's film impresses with its story of sincere friendship and (un)reciprocated love, of heroism and betrayal. This goes hand in hand with the amazing performances of basically everyone involved. I liked the interweaving of the two time planes, making the film more complex and less monotonous at the same time. Perhaps only the ending felt a bit rushed. A Czech Pearl Harbor with a much smaller budget but a noticeably better story. (02/08/2022)

This romance in the film seems terribly shallow and servile to mainstream cinema, which I think is a pity, because the reality of how war hardships interweave with post-war ones, which are no worse, and even more senseless. It beautifully portrays how heroism is a double-edged sword, and fighting for one's country can mean digging one's own grave. It is terrifying and tragically truthful. (10/05/2015)