X - The eXploited

The X - The eXploited is a perfect mirror of post-communist Hungary, and we can say all post-communist countries. We are before the government election, unsatisfied people fight on the streets and corruption penetrates almost everything. Even at school, where the main characters, police officer Éva's daughter gets into trouble and her teacher asks Éva whether she could help with speeding fines.

Éva lost her police officer partner husband the same day she gave birth to their daughter. Ever since she is stuck in a dark space with fear and panic attacks - this paralyzing fear and darkness perfectly permeates the whole movie. Only her memories about her beloved husband turn colorful in front of the viewer's eyes. As a new colleague arrives Éva gets the chance to sort of come out of her shell and start to investigate in a difficult series murder case.

Matthias Schoenaerts once said in an interview that he loves the roles in which the character gets from zero only to one on a scale of ten, because that's how we are built, we progress slowly, but this little progression can be very interesting. This is how Éva's character is built and this makes the film even more realistic and maintains the curiosity of the viewer.

The crime story is perfectly built up, any other word would be spoiler, and the end is devilish, or just simply painfully realistic. In a scene Éva's daughter holds a paper banner with the text: What is the point of living when the truth is dead? The film beautifully revolves around this topic multilaterally, and the viewer doesn't get an easy answer.

Congratulations to co-writer and director Károly Ujj Mészáros, who's previous film, Liza, the fox fairy was a hit, but it's message was already chewed and spitted out in the most understandable way, now he created a story for professional cinema spectators who are willing to work mentally and emotionally to understand the message. And congratulations also to cinematographer Martin Szecsanov who visually created the rather hopeless world dreamed up by the director and writer in which the story takes place.

This is the best Hungarian thriller I've seen so far. The acting is overall great, especially the lead actor, who brilliantly portrays a single mother working against a corrupt system. The gastlighting in the movie is so apparent, even those who aren't well-versed in gender studies can see it. Also, the cinematography is on point showing how the world turned upside down. This movie is a dystopia, but it contains social critism as well.

Gripping police thriller set in Budapest with a lot of upside shots, so don't watch if your heads spinning after a night out. Moni Balsai plays Eva, a detective who can no longer appear at crime scenes after her police husband commits suicide. It's a proper thriller which ultimately leads to widespread cover ups, which end up to her daughter being threatened by the bad guys. Balsai is excellent as the detective as is Zsofi Bujaki as her daughter, Thrilling film.

What's with the upside-down shots in every 5 minutes? The soundtrack is lame (typical eastern european mistake). The heroin's migrane or whatever was annoying. But besides that, it was a decent european flick.

Very nice little gem out of Hungary. More mystery than a thriller in the conventional term. Very well written with a positive flow and easy to follow. Subtitles follow perfectly with the action and pace. Cinematography is serene and atmospheric matching the linear of the filming. The soundtrack is an excellent tone in line with the message of the film. The acting is fluid and solid..as I said X-cellent hidden gem.

Overall synopsis of the film is a widowed police officer in what is foreshadowed as a corrupt..despicable and deceitful Budapest, is trying to solve the the suspicious deaths of seemingly ordinary citizens.( thus upside down descriptive filming of a city visual alluding to just how not only the city but the world works in a dark dystopia secret societal corrupted greedy way) She has issues with the death of her husband causing her to have anxiety attacks and a daughter affected by everything wrong in life. All of this affects her ability to perform her duties even though on the plus side she is the best detective with a surreal knack for piecing crime scenes together accurately and seeing through the setups of injustice. Her colleagues avoid her..think she's crazy. There are a few exceptions who value her insight and process.

The solving of these murders leads to inside secret society's.. conspiracies and the real reasons of darker realities of life. The world is upside down and your on the wrong end. A solid watch and a solid 7 out of 10.... Darryl Arrand.