Sablja

As an average viewer I cannot talk about the scenario, or acting or directing or the way the story was led. I can only say that I liked it even though me and my family and friends we were all feeling awfull after every episode.

Actually I cried after each of the episode. Why? This is a tale about my country and our failure as citizens of Serbia to build better society after Milosevics regime.

The assassination of our prime minister and the events that followed it in this series are not described like how it actually happened. (Documentaries exist for those who want credibility).

Sablja is, in fact, used just as a frame to explain and describe what is happening nowdays. The autors are depicting actions that contributed to a condition of an imprisoned state where we all in Serbia live in.

The main characters are carefully selected as a policeman, a criminal in the making (by not so odd consequences) and an ambitious journalist. They are the key for understanding when and how everything went wrong. Now it is up to us to decide what should we do with this sense of injustice and wether we should overlook fake licenses and literally bloody cash.

The series tells a story through several fictional characters (though some of them display attributes of real-life figures) about the period and atmosphere in the country before and after the assassination of the Prime Minister. It brilliantly portrays that time and the connection between politicians, security services, and organized crime.

The era is described exceptionally well. Of course, not all real-life figures are included, but even this simplified version is a hot mess for those who didn't live through that period. It's important to consider that in reality, around 30 people were on the wanted list, and when you add the internal and external political dynamics, you get a chaos that cannot be fully depicted in a series.

Some fictional characters are designed to combine elements of multiple real-life individuals, which is a good approach to showcasing the values people stood for during that time.

It's an excellent series for those seeking a dramatic narrative. However, if you're looking for factual accuracy and detailed insights, it's better to watch one of the many documentaries on the subject.

Despite having some masterful performances (Micanovic, Bandovic, Jasna Djuricic) and few fairly dramatic moments (even to those who've lived through the actual events of the show) - to show doesn't pack a punch is absolutely had to, and by the end of a very short series that feels rather rushed for the scope of the events it tries to portray - goes out with a whimper.

Not only do we have very basic 'get it over with' rendering of some of the most dramatic events in modern Serbian (even European) history and especially in the context of the show's title, but half way through the show we have considerably less believable and infinitely less dramatic fictional events taking over the show instead of actual, even fiction worthy stuff that indeed happened.

Fictional characters, amalgamated ones, were supposed the more relatable bridge into the often intertwined but largely foreign worlds of politics, organised crime, police and secret service etc. Instead, by episode 5 they become the whole focus of the story and actual events fall into the barely noticeable background.

To make things worse, out of three protagonists two are irredeemable and third is absolutely dislikable, insufferable even so watching their stories unfold seems like a chore, the most exciting one - the mafia kid, is the shortest out of three.

It came from the intent not to make universally despised mafia nor the politicians the protagonist of the show - an odd choice considering what the show is about, but it turned out to be bad idea and ended up completely moving the show away from the actual title operation 'Sabre' and into some random and generic fictional conspiracy involving equally fictitious and rather unremarkable characters.

In turn it turns a potent show into a generic mediocre crime drama that is never too bold or unpredictable. Simply put - not what we came here for.

This series can be enjoyable if we are not familiar with or don't care much about the real events that took place in Serbia. However, it is disappointing to see that many important political figures who played a direct role in the atrocities depicted in the series are entirely absent. These individuals are still active in Serbian politics today, making their exclusion even more noticeable. This omission raises questions about whether political censorship continues to play a significant role in shaping how these events are portrayed. It feels like an attempt to avoid addressing certain uncomfortable truths about the past. It's unfortunate that such a strong influence seems to persist.

Although there is clearly some 'artistic license' taken with certain historical facts around this assassination and the break-up of Yugoslavia, there was enough to make it worth watching. The acting is generally very good and the pace just right. Some characters were truly despicable and hard to digest, but unfortunately, there were, and are still, far too many of these goons still active. Seeing how secret militias and certain armed/criminal groups are able to control the ruling government and institutions is a warning that this is still going on and that similarities with certain current regimes are all too familiar. History does indeed repeat itself time and time again. A sad but true commentary on the state of politics and populations that accept this corrupt and despicable way of existing. Hard to watch at times but some important themes are presented. Solid series overall.