The 2018 European Union Film Festival is back at the Gene Siskel Film Center, from March 9th to April 5th.
Andrea Petrik and Ervin Nagy in “Kincsem – Bet On Revenge.” credit: 8400.info.hu
Hungarian director Gábor Herendi is no stranger to domestic success – his Valami Amerika Hollywood-spoof comedies are on their third sequel, and he does a fair amount of television work as well. At around $12 million (HUF 3 billion), Kincsem – Bet On Revenge (Hungary, 2017) is reportedly the most expensive Hungarian film ever produced; it’s a bit more than Herendi can really chew, but it’s solidly entertaining nonetheless and was wildly successful with his domestic audiences. Kincsem (‘My Treasure’) was the most successful thoroughbred racehorse in history; 54 races, 54 wins, which is a sports story well worth telling. But Herendi (with screenwriter Bálint Hegedûs) has also fashioned a somewhat operatic rags-to-riches adventure yarn about the orphaned son of a Hungarian partisan who grows up to become Kincsem’s trainer, finds fame and fortune and wins the love of the daughter of his arch enemy. The story is pleasantly predictable, but they’ve had some real fun with flamboyant costuming, a nicely anachronistic music score, a few cyberpunk touches and spirited performances. Ervin Nagy is the trainer, Blaskovich, a perenially hard-luck horseman and gambling party-animal who just has a feeling about this sad-looking wild horse. Andrea Petrik is the wealthy daughter of the man who killed Blaskovich’s father, and she works harder than many of her American contemporaries might, elevating an otherwise stereotypical role. And I should mention Tamás Keresztes as Gerlóczy, a young rich nobleman who bankrolls Blaskovich in the good-old-days, but falls out with him when he actually starts succeeding – it’s a more complex performance than it needed to be, to the actor’s credit. The steadily-working Péter Szatmári shot the film, which is great-looking even if some of the computer-enhancement is awkwardly handled.
No masterpiece, Kincsem – Bet On Revenge is still a fun mainstream popcorn movie that simultaneously aspires to, and wants to avoid the mistakes of, big Hollywood entertainment. It’s a pretty ambitious and admirable Saturday matinee, and I recommend it.
“Kincsem – Bet On Revenge” will be shown on Saturday, March 24th at 3:00 pm.
Periscope In The Bathtub 