Nimród Antal’s debut “Kontroll” happens in the Budapest Metro subway. It is supposed to be interpreting lot of things and for me it meant that it is a confused story with assumptions and presumptions. It is boring, dragging, frustrating and some times irritating ride (forgive me) you could ever get. If this is how the Metro system’s ticket inspectors are treated with people, then that should mean that the city is the worst place. Every one they meet gives them trouble and torture.There are groups separated in the ticket inspecting circle. Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi) and his team are the losers challenged by the Gonzó’s (Balázs Mihályfi) team. And we thought every one leaves the high school fight behind and grew up. Ok, I can understand it is a boring work to check tickets and to liven up they do something like this but they are just a bully and nothing philosophical about it. Now Gonzó challenges Bulcsú in a “railing” contest which is gives a good thrilling moment. And you will also know when it will be used again by the hero to out do some one. I cannot believe they pull off the oldest and cheapest trick from the book.
When these things are happening, it is come to notice that people are getting killed jumping in front of the train. Initially suspected as suicides, we are shown a hooded strange man pushes people off guard from the platform. In fact in one scene when Bulcsú chases someone, he witnesses the act and the killer passes by shouldering Bulcsú. Is Bulcsú imagining all these? That’s an obvious pay off but nope. Is he the killer? That’s another obvious guess and nope. So they decide to stump us with everything and honestly it means nothing. It is fine that films like these leave without explaining anything but the journey (forgive me again!) should be interesting.
Who is Bulcsú? What is his hidden past? Why is he staying 24/7 in the station? What is he hiding from? We get to know zilch about it. All we know his colleagues are crazy enough as that of the people they encounter. The conversation goes no where and we wonder what the director is trying to say. It beats us up with crazy talks and weird visuals with super sleek look and void in our minds.
It needs to be appreciated that the feel of the movie is creepy but brisk and dull of an early morning as expected. Antal has the eye for the visuals, colours and the ambience to be generated for the film. He is obsessed with trance, hard rock, industrial and rock music which he lavishly uses for insane and ridiculous style scenes, as it is aimed. The film supposedly won acclaim in the art house circuit. I was able to interpret something but it did not come out automatically as the depiction goes. Since I felt wasting some time watching something over the screen, I forced myself to grasp some meaning out of it. And it also matched some of the metaphysical meaning Wiki suggested but it does not suit the character of Bulcsú. He is calm, composed and has these weary eyes of hiding something. He is stressed and irritated. I mean who will not when you meet people who can get on your nerves to push the wrong buttons. The film never takes off as it started. It had its slapping moments but it kept repeating evaporating concepts of confusion and non-descriptive images.
I crave for films which has submerged meanings. I long for the movies with cryptic messages and just play with the images. The simple movements, the jarring music and colourful club lights are all my cup of tea. And “Kontroll” has those and at time does well too. The thing is it should lead somewhere with a higher purpose in its agenda. The whole movie can be comprised of thirty minutes of material. I never understood Bulcsú’s attraction with the bear costumed Sofie (Eszter Balla) and his dinner conversation with her father Béla (Lajos Kovács). The only comic thing about the movie is that it is supposed to be a dark comedy too, irony I guess. Antal sure did impress lot of people with his visuals which of course is terrific. He got his next Hollywood movie “Vacancy”. I got nothing.
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