Cinematography (which is by Türksoy Gölebeyi) is awesome. It captures many emotions and states throughout the film. It's visually satisfying. Especially the dinner scene is great. That scene is also directed successfully. Colours are perfect for the environment. Dark and cold, just as it's supposed to be.
But this film, is overall not a great one. The biggest problem with it is the script, which I guessed that it was written by Demirkubuz himself. I felt like it was written for the international audiences. But for a native-Turkish speaker, it's unbearably alienating. While there are much profanity, it doesn't feel natural. Maybe that's because as a Turkish person, I am familiar with almost the entire cast, and that's why I expected them to be natural. Acting wasn't bad, as all the cast are talented actors. But writing was annoyingly unnatural that I felt it was kind of a Sheakspearen play. It's not probably because I am familiar with the cast. Characters are dressed in Turkish, they act in Turkish, but their language is somehow artificial. Even the language of Türkan, which is a character designed with traditional elements from head to toe, sometimes felt artificial.
While the story is well-written, directing ruins it a bit. Events are enjoyingly proper for character's journey, but the directing was distracting and not inviting. Long-shots are weak at telling characters' emotions and state of mind. Instead, it's just tiring and distracting.
I prefer the actors to be chosen from unknown people, still it's no big deal as long as it's all the right choices. But here, casting is also unsuccessful. Actors are talented but they all tend to go to a realistic and natural acting, while the script forces them back to synthetic performances. So everyone seems odd in this annoying and obvious dilemma. I also sadly think that Engin Günaydın is not the right choice for Underground Man. He is superb when it comes to absurd, exaggerated characters as well as calm and nervous personalities. But for a furious, unstable and needy but pathetically proud person like Underground Man, he is insufficient (his look is suitable but that's not the point). There was just one point towards the end of the film where Muharrem was seen in close up. That moment the anger was great and proper but it was a one hit wonder anyway.
Viewer's connection with the character is also weak. If you're big fan of Engin Günaydın, you may easily sympathize with the character. But director cannot create either positive or negative connection between the character and viewer. I neither hated or loved the character. I was all indifferent with the things happening around him. And this is, in fact, the biggest failure of the film. In the novel, even if you are bored by the thoughts of the character, you can sympathize with the things and situations that the character faces. This feeling of familiarity, 'finding yourself in it' feeling is the core of the novel's success and it's legacy. This film lacks that feeling. Director could have chosen to make the audience hate the character, but even this wasn't intended at all.
Of course, adapting such a book is challenging as hell. But when I see this great environment, I think much better could have been done with the story. Not ironically, but quite comprehensibly, best acting credit goes to Nergis Öztürk, which plays the Fahişe character, who probably has the least lines. She fired the only emotions that I felt throughout the film. Her dullness and ignorance, with a feeling of neediness were wonderful that she was the only one who felt 'real'.
