Son's Will

Like sword ... like the same? Well no pun intended, though that is more for my summary headline. This is a postapocalyptic movie - from Serbia! It is quite violent, but nothing can shock anyone who may have seen a different kind of movie from Serbia (from 2010 that is).

There is also one actor who played in that movie and is back again for this one. He played a terrific villain back then - and he still got it. This builds quite the fantasy and mythology around itself and a certain sword. Mixing eastern tradition with western authoritarian and societal structures. Well you could do worse than watching this - especially considering how good it looks (and I don't necessarily refer to the actors, though they are a fine bunch of people too).

Other than the obvious great job done from the filming crew and color profile of the movie, everything else about it just bad. Story is weak, overdramatized and inconsistent, with bad acting, and the weirdest coctail of Mad Max wannabe, biker leather jackets, samurai swords, weird accents, random fidget spinner stuff all mixed together in the blender of terrible. The script sounds like it was written in english and google translate had the job of translating it to serbian, literally word for word. I was strangled and held hostage by this two and a half hour missery. Do yourself a favor and don't watch this. Two stars for camera crew and effects team. You guys make your own movie.

If you're thinking of watching this movie, it's a world you've already seen somewhere before, Into the Badlands (TV series), Mad Max 2 (1981), The 100 (TV series)... Old folk tales from Serbia, introduced into the post-apocalyptic future, give a special experience.

The scenery and costumes are irresistibly reminiscent of the aforementioned series, so the viewer will get the hang of it very quickly, but the problem remains the misunderstanding of the narrator with the instrument, which is characteristic of Serbian folk songs from the 16th and 18th centuries, so if you are not close to Serbian culture, this would be an obstacle in understanding the plot of the film.

In general, it is a big step forward in the Serbian film industry. It can always be better and there will always be critics with bad reviews. Considering that this is the first film made with this kind of theme in Serbia, we have to be more tolerant.

The movie may end up being more important than good.

While it is a bit unfair to hold the Serbian production to those same standards we expect from more advanced environments, its still the same scale we have to use for both.

The movie is not good in the most strict sense. Had it beed pumped out of Hollywood it would probably earn anywhere between 4,5 and 5,5. There are too many plotholes, characters are being introduced randomly with no depth or logic within the context, and acting is often subpar.

However, depending on the reception of the audience, it could mark the beginning of the fantasy genre proper in Serbian production. The whole endeavor took some serious cojones to even begin filming, with limited language reach and national audience not properly prepared or built for the genre. In those terms, everyone must respect what has been done here.

Had it been a bit shorter, I would have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it in the theater.

Lets hope it kickstarts the new wave of fantasy pieces in this part of the world.

For the past couple of years, we've been served mostly similar (read: the same) genres from Serbian cinematography-crime dramas, war stories, or rural comedies. This show, however, brings something fresh to the table. It introduces a new narrative approach and a more nuanced storytelling style that's definitely worth your time. My advice is to watch the full 8-episode series, as it broadens the scope of the story, develops characters more deeply, and fills in important details that really bring the plot together. A refreshing change and a must-watch for post-apocaliptic, Sci-Fi genre fans (myself!)!