Methanol

The distribution of toxic alcohol was a major case in the Czech environment, which outraged the public - declaring a temporary prohibition in the Czech Republic, known for its friendly and liberal attitude towards alcohol consumption, meant both an act of desperation and significant political courage. However, the result of the television processing of the case is not a great film, let alone an extraordinary drama. Ambitious and high-quality cinematography could have turned the event into an impressive genre film that would appeal to a wide international audience. The result of Czech efforts is something that can certainly be considered above average locally, but at the same time, it does not fully utilize its potential. Only the thriller-like sound design and, above all, the portrayal of an unscrupulous trader by the charismatic Lukáš Vaculík are honestly worthy of four stars. The film sticks to well-known facts and does not attempt to investigate what is hidden beneath the surface. This was partly due to the fact that the screenwriter, Lenka Szántó, worked the case while staying abroad in Israel and relied solely on media coverage. For me, it is worth 3.5 stars, this time rounding up against my established habits because Czech cinema simply needs encouragement. Overall impression: 70%. (2018-05-26)

Excellent testimony of “how it happened”. Methanol is realistic, detailed, stunning, emotional and scary. And in the second episode with a detective story line, it has some appropriate dry humor – because without a bit of comic relief, the graveness of the situation and the struggle with time would make the viewer too depressed. These two hours are well put together with brilliantly selected (and not-overexposed) actors, according to a quality screenplay that works skillfully with every character and significant scene. Which actually means all of them – plus the emotional ones are conveyed in great long shots. The director rocks. HBO quality from Czech Television. 4,5 stars. (2018-04-16)

It happens once every few years, but at Kavčí Hory they hit the jackpot and at the right moment distilled one of the most bizarre cases of the Czech liquor business. The first half goes smoothly without stumbling, and the viewer can only wonder how this duo of complete idiots mix a batch for which bartender certifications are not even awarded in the most remote corner of eastern Moravia. The director pumps it into the viewer with shots, relentlessly, all while holding a disturbing cymbal and with great actors (the hunchbacked Vaculík evokes sympathy, David Máj anger and Bambušek gives a lesson in being an asshole for years to come). When the police team enters the game, it takes a completely different direction and starts flowing in liters (emotion and tension), occasionally reaching far beyond the usual genre framework of Czech crime stories. The unfamiliar actors (the excellent Finger and charismatic Fridrich) perform brilliantly written dialogues, with no friction anywhere, and even though you know who will spend life in prison and who will play it through lawyers in the end, it won't let you breathe. Who cares about the simplification? This is high-quality stuff that I enjoyed tasting for three hours. (2018-05-02)

At a time when our cinema offer, within the realm of Czech films, has reached a straight dead and shameful level, here’s what we get on Czech TV. Keep it up! I’m now going to drink on that. (2018-05-31)

After a long time, we got a great Czech crime film that doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, simply showing the true face of tough investigative work by the police, which is a big plus. I expected that filmmakers might eventually tackle the methanol scandal, as they say, but they came out with a film about this tragedy after just six years. Personally, I don’t consider it rushed; quite the opposite. I couldn’t quite understand why they made it into two parts totaling 180 minutes, but believe me, my concerns dissipated after a few seconds—the film flows quickly. I must give credit for the idea of creating two parts, each focusing on different aspects. The first part is dedicated to the "geniuses" who came up with the idea to make big money and to the people who accidentally ended up with the tainted alcohol. It’s slower, but it captivates with impressive performances and chilling music. The second part focuses on the investigative work of the detectives, with a faster-paced plot, and I enjoyed Finger’s Martin Finger's performance here. I was a bit disgusted by the film (mainly due to the actions of the guilty parties), as the responsible individuals acted like actual hyenas, indifferent to the fact that they caused the deaths of many people and inflicted lifelong consequences on others, all while profiting financially. It's truly disgusting. Otherwise, it’s a very good film; it’s not worth a perfect score, but it’s not far from it. I give it 82%. (2018-05-21)