agentmiky

The situation at the beginning of the 1990s in what is now the Czech Republic and newly formed Slovakia could, with time, be compared to the Wild West. There were simply no rules... especially for those on the other side, for whom the word law meant nothing. And that’s how it looked. But I have to admit... I only heard about the boss of the Slovak underworld, Mikuláš Černák, thanks to this film. So I was happy to expand my horizons. As for the film itself, technically, it belongs to the very top of the genre. At times, this gritty gangster movie draws inspiration from the West... and I mean that as a compliment. I was genuinely amazed at how something of such quality could come from the Slovaks, comparable to foreign productions. Whether it's the acting performances (Milan Ondrík is amazing! He really savored his role), the dynamic camera work (this is not common in these regions), or the well-executed action sequences... everything turned out great. I'm leaving some small reserve for the second part because, based on the trailers at the end, we have a lot to look forward to. I want January to come already! This wait is going to be long. I give it 7.5/10.

I had to process the film for 2 days. Really 2 days, to organize all my thoughts about this powerful experience. Jiří Mádl truly outdid himself and offered viewers a drama that will get under your skin. And it absolutely meets the strictest standards when compared to global productions. At times, I couldn’t believe that such a precisely polished diamond came from the Czech scene. Otherwise, from an acting standpoint, it's also a completely grand spectacle! Every cast member performed as if their life depended on it! Besides all that, the film offers an unsettling soundtrack that could easily be mistaken for one from Western productions. Story-wise, it's a strong piece that will make you think. I didn’t take my eyes off the screen for a single minute! And when the last half hour hit—two words: emotional bomb. I realized that Mádl truly created something unique... something unique about a dark chapter of Czech history that should be mandatory viewing in schools. I genuinely wish from the bottom of my heart that he at least makes it to the nomination for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Waves deserves it! I give it 8.5/10

Could this be Netflix’s biggest positive surprise of the year? Quite possibly. The film, with absolutely zero marketing, completely captivated me in the end. The first positive aspect is undoubtedly the casting. Aaron Pierre, previously unknown to me, absolutely shone. He exudes a truly unique charisma in every scene. If nothing goes wrong, he has a bright future ahead in cinema. But the rest of the cast performed well alongside him (Don Johnson as the corrupt sheriff was once again great!). I'm also happy that Jeremy Saulnier kept things grounded, making it more of an uncomfortable drama than an action film detached from reality. That's why I honestly don’t understand how some can criticize the film for lacking more fights and shootouts. If you miss that, go watch John Wick... Despite that, the film offers countless quality moments full of tension (the ending, for me, was absolutely top-notch!) where you'll be holding your breath... I honestly didn’t expect anything groundbreaking from this film, but Rebel Ridge is among the best that this streaming platform has come out with so far. For me, it’s 8/10.