Once There Was a War (2019) User Reviews

Excelent DoP work

[whotheff · 5/10 · 18 January 2022]

I gave 5 stars to this movie only because of the camera man. There are impressive outdoor shots which kept the film going. Other than that - disastrous director and editor work. Everything is so chaotic. Many characters with senseless dialogues which bring no value to the film, except explaining who they are. The different stories were shown in a so mixed up manner, that it was hard to grasp who does what and why. It would be a much more watchable movie and an enjoyable experience if they were shown one after the other, combining them all at the end. I have to mention the notoriously bad dialogue sound of most Bulgarian movies. Interestingly, the problem is present only when Bulgarian actors speak. Another mess which added to the total mix is the use of Bulgarian subtitles (60% of the film), English language, French, Russian and Bulgarian languages. I understand that they tried to be historically correct, but there are better ways to do it.

Absolutely Nothing At All

[Madcookie17 · 1/10 · 19 January 2021]

A "historical" movie depicting an event, where a newly reborn nation (only seven years on the map of Europe) invades a Great Power, gets attacked in the back by a neighbor, incited by another Great power and still manages to win the war and unify its people, is used merely as a backdrop. A backdrop for frivolous inserting of fictional literary characters such as Bay Ganyo and Andreshko on top of numerous jabs and insulting remarks about the Bulgarians in general by variety of characters in the movie. Staggering historical inaccuracies and self-abasement aside, the movie doesn't impress visually, artistically or plot-wise (a small example - a major part of the movie is dedicated to the secret mission by 2 of the main characters, a mission that doesn't lead to anything, doesn't resolve anything and is just there to fill the time and deceive the viewer that something important is about to happen).

In the end what can this movie offer you as a viewer? Absolutely nothing at all.

6 and 1 (In the Mind)

[lachezarmatneshliev · 9/10 · 27 November 2022]

''Once There Was a War'' is just heroic. Typical engagement, precious plot and often set with one or more screenplay for performances authority. The film script is missing from the beginning, till the war perpose replace all history for futures generations. Film equivalent for military, every lead scene take away to something above and unknown. Director and his cast and crew creates a masterpiece for movie fans with caution complacency into political. Spectacularly entertaining film part of ours pop culture, ''Once There Was a War'' acting play performances desigh ''I'm still standing'' song behavior it seems like the war it's the most natural thing in the world! Everything is in your mind and film is about ours folk psychology deliberately disobeyed for crowd, that remains faithful to the genre for victory. Back then, ours nature wasn't so much revered as ignored or fearless. Previous generations used to hunt freedom to protect their wealth, selling the skills to the future politicians now traders!