Frankly, while watching I didn't understand the element of the plot that the characters get their doubles created in the TV world. Maybe it was due to somewhat messy English subtitles. Still, the movie was very, very enjoyable. It was funny and smart. The humor was well on the level of the greatest French comedies. Pretty refreshing after all the loads of cheap, stupid humor you get in American comedies where they would throw pies at each others' faces. This movie definitely deserved more attention. I hope someone makes a similar movie on a bigger budget and with modern visuals about the today's obsession with social networks. E.g. every time someone opens their Facebook page, their life energy gets sucked out. Such a "modernized" remake would be a hit for sure.
5 Reviews
Entertaining
Empire-317 January 2003
This movie was a surprise to me. It was entertaining and it was inventive. This movie should get more attention, too bad it hasn´t been released in many countries. I saw this at school and it was taped from tv. Most interesting in this movie is that it has strange name. When you see the opening credits, you can expect any movie. The credits have kinda scifi feel to it. The movie is partly scifi, but it has many other genre elements.
First the film starts with drama comedy feel to it and then it begins to have scifi elements. After the first 20 minutes, the movie starts to go forward at fast speed. Visually the movie is inventive, there are close-ups of teeth and heart etc. If this movie would be remade in Hollywood, I think Steven Spielberg would direct it. Because this is an european movie, you can expect anything. I rate this movie 8 out of 10 (**** out of *****)
First the film starts with drama comedy feel to it and then it begins to have scifi elements. After the first 20 minutes, the movie starts to go forward at fast speed. Visually the movie is inventive, there are close-ups of teeth and heart etc. If this movie would be remade in Hollywood, I think Steven Spielberg would direct it. Because this is an european movie, you can expect anything. I rate this movie 8 out of 10 (**** out of *****)
If you like the Matrix and Donnie Darko, why not have some Akumulator Fun!!!
NateManD1 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I must say I was deeply impressed with this film. It has one of the best concepts of a parallel world; and since reality TV has taken over America, the concept makes me laugh even more. Czech director Jan Sverak is best known for his critically acclaimed films "Koyla" and "Dark Blue World". For some reason this film never got a U. S release. Too bad, because this is one of the most original and creative sci-fi films I've ever seen. The plot concerns Olda, played by Petr Forman (son of director Milos Forman). Olda gets interviewed on live T. V for an opinion poll, now that his image is recorded another person who is him in a parallel T. V world needs energy to live. Every time Olda watches T. V, he looses energy. The T. V starts to mysteriously drain peoples energy till they die. When Olda doesn't watch T. V he gains telepathic type energy. To survive, he even has to take a universal remote everywhere he goes to turn off public televisions. Or else he'll die. The movie is also a comedy and a good way to get people to read more. Ironically actor Petr Forman has a twin brother in real life. Not to worry, his twin brother is not from a parallel world. The Czech Republic has some of the most original and unique films, but for some odd reason U. S distributors don't seem to pay attention. This movie had a small budget of a about 2 million, yet you would never know it. Forget about Hollywood CGI and give Akumulator 1 a try.
one of best films i have seen
quas12 March 1999
A-must-see for TV watchers - it's about TV taking energy from several people and about parallel world which ,,copies" of this people live in parallel TV-world. Very well-done (i loved macroview from inside of main hero's veins) and very funny.
Messy, funny parody of 80's scifi
tpolakov-210 February 2022
Starting with the title sequence you get the feel of the 80's Terminators and similar big budget Hollywood cinema. Then it wanders off to more peaceful waters, to pick up again by the mid/end.
The whole movie is a bit incoherent, as some shot types are repeated a bit too often, some only happen occasionally, the pacing is a bit uneven, the sound recording/mixing feels dated (hard to understand some dialogues), but as a whole, this is a fresh burst of ideas, youthful energy and just uncanny fun.
The cooperation of the father Zdenek Sverak and son Jan Sverak creates a strangely appealing mix of vintage storytelling and youthful effects-based bombastic blockbuster visuals that just work (at least for me). You have to be somewhat familiar with the visual style and cliches of 80's scifi to fully appreciate the references, but I guess most of it is so etched into the fabric of modern cinema that it should appeal to wide audiences.
Give it a go, it will not drain your energy for sure ;)
The whole movie is a bit incoherent, as some shot types are repeated a bit too often, some only happen occasionally, the pacing is a bit uneven, the sound recording/mixing feels dated (hard to understand some dialogues), but as a whole, this is a fresh burst of ideas, youthful energy and just uncanny fun.
The cooperation of the father Zdenek Sverak and son Jan Sverak creates a strangely appealing mix of vintage storytelling and youthful effects-based bombastic blockbuster visuals that just work (at least for me). You have to be somewhat familiar with the visual style and cliches of 80's scifi to fully appreciate the references, but I guess most of it is so etched into the fabric of modern cinema that it should appeal to wide audiences.
Give it a go, it will not drain your energy for sure ;)
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