Wandering aimlessly with Red Zaporozhets, the wanderings of the main character Rafael lead him to a monastery. Photo: press material
Director Rainer Sarnet’s new film “The Invisible Struggle” is not the kind of film that will appeal to the masses, but it should not leave anyone indifferent.
Margit Adorf
This is the kind of movie that can become a local cult film, gather a number of fanatical fans around it, and the rest of the nation is kind of “obscurely struck”, maybe they don’t understand what’s so super cool about it to this fragile rap, who watch and praise the film repeatedly.
I’m one of those “struck by darkness”, that is, I didn’t like this movie. However, I went to see it with a photographer friend and he was amazed. After discussion, we came to a common opinion: at least Black Sabbath’s music was good. Furthermore, I agreed with his opinion that it is probably more of a “man’s film”, where I, as a woman, will never feel undercurrents and sparks of excitement. However, I also know several women who praise the film, but I also like parts of the “man’s film” action genre.
Sarnet’s The Invisible Struggle is definitely not about action. I’d say it’s a B-list parody of A- and C-list movies, a fizzy cocktail of pickle juice and pineapple juice served in a dented tin cup with a gold rim. A cliché that has been getting old for some time now Vintage ▾-moldy cocktail with mayonnaise. But this is the waiter’s favorite drink, and he no doubt thinks that it has healing properties and is prepared with the utmost love and passion. The Invisible Struggle is a swashbuckling comedy that I might like if it wasn’t so over-the-top, awkward student film-ish.
If this were someone’s first attempt at the big screen, the final work of a film student, I too would give the film a higher score, but Sarnet is already an experienced director and it seems incomprehensible to me the way he twists the comic book. As a work of art, the film is very well made, the cinematography (Mart Taniel), the artist (Jaagup Roomet), fusion‘ut in mass scenes (Liina Prii) etc. In terms of technical execution, the film is definitely detailed and thought out down to the last detail. The makers of the film certainly had a lot of fun on set, this is not a dark and depressing work, but rather energetic clowning. But above all there is “But…”
The film’s deliberate superimposition of alienating scenes, emphatically caricatured characters, theatrical dance numbers, in their lust and crudeness, will fade over time for a feature film. It’s like eating slimy, half-cured slime, which sometimes tastes good, but all in all it’s too disgusting and makes you want to vomit. This is my emotion. Once again the “But…” comes into play.
That’s not to say everyone should have the same reaction, because there are a lot of things in the world I don’t like, but for someone else it’s the ultimate cultural catharsis, whether it’s punk music, pan flutes, or goat’s cheese with beetroot. red, karaoke bar with opera songs or acid streaming.
How to get an idea before going to the cinema if you might like the film? In my circle of acquaintances I noticed the trend that those who didn’t like “The Sisters of Savusanna” really liked “The Invisible Struggle”. However, this doesn’t mean that if you liked the sisters movie, then kung fu I definitely don’t like monks, but on the contrary, it’s a slap in the face: if you didn’t like the sauna movie at all, go see “The Invisible Struggle” and you will regain your trust in Estonian cinema.
The action of the film takes place deep in the Soviet era, in 1974-75. The main character Rafael (Ursel Tilk) is a conscript of the Soviet army. They suddenly appear to disturb the night peace of the military camp kung fu ninja, who play Black Sabbath’s “The Wizard” on the record player and start beating up the soldiers. Rafael is absolutely amazed by the others, kung fu ninja leave it intact, and in his last breath the general tells the soldier that God has other plans for him.
Next, we see a faux-leather-clad Rafael listening to Black Sabbath at his house, and his dressed/staged mother with completely exaggerated anecdotes (Maria Avdjuško) invites her adult son to eat fry bread. One strange scene follows another, Rafael meets red-lipped Rita (Ester Kuntu) in a floral dress, with whom they immediately develop a primal attraction. Rafael tries to be tough, but is killed miserably by Rita’s boyfriend. Kung Fu the young man does not yet have a paw.
Furthermore, Rafel’s wanderings, wandering aimlessly in his red Zaporozhets, lead him to a monastery, where the monks chase him away, calling him a clown, but despite everything, and following a somewhat miraculous accident, the head monk (Indrek Sammul) of the monastery allows the young man to stay in the monastery, where the young swollen cock must learn humility and, of course, also kung fu‘D.
After all, the main message of Sarnet’s film is a completely correct idea that could reach every person during his life: the real struggle happens inside each person, and this is the “invisible struggle” about which the film tells through various short anecdotes. , parables and symbols. It’s just a matter of how the storytelling style resonates with the viewer. If you like it, great, if not you don’t have to worry about it anymore. “Invisible Struggle” is a good circus, but in any case it can be said that Orthodoxy or Christianity is not made fun of here and it is suitable to watch in the cinema during the Christmas month. It’s a pious film, if very exaggerated.
2023-12-15 12:50:57
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