The Last Note (2017) User Reviews

A very moving film and an excellent production

[studiarxis-19142 · 9/10 · 6 December 2017]

Pantelis Voulgaris is a Greek director renowned for the aesthetic quality of his movies as well as his preoccupation with modern Greek history. It did not come to me as a surprise therefore, that I enjoyed the film so much. The historic facts were there, the story was good, the actors were well cast and played beautifully, photography was good as with all his films, but I really was pleasantly surprised by the details of the filming itself. This film stroke me as one that paid real attention to detail, very much unlike other Greek films. The sound was really good (an issue with older modern Greek movies) and all effects used were really well thought out and balanced.

The story itself is moving, (maybe less so if you are not Greek). Communists imprisoned by the fascist friendly Metaxas regime, are not released when the war breaks to fight at the front, and instead, the German occupation finds them behind bars. The killing of a Nazi general by the resistance, causes a huge retaliation of the Nazis against the Greeks.

The best war movie/drama in recent years!

[tankace · 8/10 · 3 November 2017]

When I saw the trailer for this film I was amazed by the high production value and the serious tone the film had ,with out been overly dramatic nor it had ludicrous scenes.

To the film itself ,it focuses on the execution of the inmates in in Kaisariani, as reprisal for the Greek Resistance ambush against Nazis. In the film we see how violent and predatory were the occupation forces as well as the willingness of all of the population either to fight back or support those who fight back. And when it comes to the execution it is portrait in a very mature and emotional manner.

As for historical accuracy, top notch truly the director and his team put a lot of effort in order to be faithful to the events and shows what the people of my country, Greece were willing to do for resisting to the foreign occupiers. As for the main point of view character Napoleon Soukatzidis, I love that he is neither a bad-ass nor a leading figure, he is just a significant yet small part of that story and I appreciated that interpretation.

Over all this film is the best that the Greek cinema has made in ages and I hope that this just the first of many to come.

Cried

[liakoskapa · 9/10 · 10 February 2020]

I haven't cried so much for a long time!!! Impressive!!

Loved it

[misslinguist · 10/10 · 13 December 2019]

I rarely give 10/10 to any movie, but this one really captivated me. I should mention first of all my special interest for Greece, its culture, history, language and everything, so it touched me more than any movie about WWII. The actors had performed very well, especially Andreas Konstantinou. The time was also reflected well. Watch it and see how Greece lived the Nazi occupation.

A Moving Movie Experience

[kaljic · 10/10 · 24 April 2018]

Based on true facts, The Last Note is a moving account of the execution of two hundred Crete prisoners during World War II at the hands of German occupiers. Much of the movie is devoted to the sometimes strained relationship between the concentration camp Commandant and his Crete translator/interpreter. The movie examines that relationship both from the perspective of the Commandant and from the perspective of the interpreter. Divided loyalties exist on both sides of that relationship; in the end those conflicts are resolved the only way that it could be - through passive and active opposition, not reconciliation. The deliberate pace of the movie is essential to the impact of the movie. The courage and fortitude of the patriots, and how that courage is portrayed in this movie, will stay with you days after having seen this movie.

A different but interesting story that deserves to be told

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 16 April 2019]

As The Last Note is based on true events you watch it with different eyes. The story is different than in the usual world war II movies so that's also a bonus. This story is about the Greek resistance versus the Nazis. After an ambush from the Greek resistance against the Nazis there are reprisals that won't let anybody indifferent. The Last Note is an emotional movie, maybe a tiny bit too long in my eyes, but nevertheless it's an interesting movie with good actors. The movie is a bit predictable at one point but it doesn't really matter as it's more a historical drama rather than a mystery story.

Very dramatic and emotional WW2 film!

[r-fronimides · 9/10 · 9 November 2021]

Yes, I'm Greek; but that doesn't matter about my high rate for this film.

I'm actually very hard when reviewing Greek productions, especially those about Historic events.

This film totally surprised me - positive.

I didn't expect to see a SO WELL dramatic anti-war WW2 by a Greek director and producer. Most of the Greek films about the WW2 are very bad (in direction/production), extremelly very melodramatic and they lack of realism. This is VERY dramatic, VERY emotional and VERY realistic!

Obviously, there are some mistakes. Although the SS uniforms are quite good & accurate, some (or more) of the civilians/prisoners clothing are modern (not of that period, 1944). Also, some dialogues are "too much" for me or for realism. I understand, the main role character (the GREAT HERO of Left Wing, Napoleon Soukatzidis) as interpreter but also as man had a special releationship with the camp commander, but some dialogues were "too much" - the Greek hero had "too much" audacity/nerve, so a "normal" Nazi SS commander wouldn't accept his tone.

Also, during the outdoor scenes when they were tranfering the prisoners to execute them, there are modern signs and other modern things on the road scene - the production failed to cover/removed them from the scene. Finally, the execution scene took much too long. Yes, I understand, the main character (Napoleon Soukatzidis) actually had the #167 number (of the 200 total) to stand on the wall and get shot - so, a lot other prisoners would executed before him - but even so, the director could have a dramatic shot and a "fade out" (avoiding the repeated scenes of the shooting).

I left the VERY BEST in last:

I believe I watched probably THE MOST HEROIC & MOST POETIC and DRAMATIC scene I ever watched in a similar film!!! "The Last Dance" the night before the execution!!! When the "200" realized they've been selected for execution and not for move them to other camp... suddenly one starts the music with a violin some other started playing a Cretan lyre... and soon you watching the entire "200" dancing with pride fast happy Cretan dance (and Pontiac dance, afterwards) and they keep dancing all night long!

I never watched SO HEROIC-POETIC & DRAMATIC scene, in my intire life! I've watched a lot similar films, I knew all about this story (is one of the most notorious stories from the Nazi Occupation in Greece)... but oh boy, how much I cried with pride, watching these men dancing and singing loud and saying "good-bye" to the LIFE itself and welcoming death!

An AMAZING film, a rare "gem".

First 2/3 great, last third obvious & dragged out

[bogus-bogus-one · 7/10 · 17 June 2018]

I really liked the first part of this film. It informed me about the occupation of Greece during WWII, something I knew little about prior to this. I especially enjoyed the way the German captors were portrayed. Some scenes were a little unnerving and I only assume they were based on historical sources. The reason I didn't give this film a higher rating? The last part of it was too melodramatic and drawn out for too long. It was just too obvious what was going to happen by that point. Other than shortening I'm not sure how else the ending could be improved & can't give a better score as it is.

Sensational

[m_durukal · 7/10 · 9 July 2023]

As a Turkish person, I like Greek movies. All the rivalry, competition and bitter-sweet fights over baklava, caciki, moussaka and everything else is a result of the common culture built together in a long time.

And war is sad for everyone, but in this one I can better understand how they feel. For me, a scene was showing a lot. While German soldiers are eating silently, Greek prisoners were playing music and dancing under tough conditions. This explains how lively they are. Whatever they are going through, their life energy does not disappear.

Going to death proudly and eyes wide open is something which can not be understood easily without knowing history. We should know life is short and there is no point to fight for simple reasons.

Emotional and sensational movie! Scenario could be improved, but good enough to feel the history.

It is suprising..

[peripatitis-33392 · 6/10 · 28 October 2018]

How easy and quickly our grandfathers/fathers forgave. Based on a true story, the film did not need the slow motion scenes near the end, neither that last being prepped up to be something grand which in the end it wasn't. It is unthinkable to have to leave like that, yet there are still people who have to.

Unable to fulfill its purpose

[than-project · 5/10 · 9 May 2020]

Script written only for those who know the real story. Polished costumes and setting do not travel us back to time but to the actual movie setting. And when you expect the director to give most of his respect to the dead, two major mistakes happen: 1) during the prisoners' transfer, we clearly see the modern road's sign of it being dug to bury optical fibres (obviously not yet invented in 1944) 2) the director's struggle to capture a realistic execution as if he was competing Hollywood

Konstantinou & Hennicke's performances are outstanding. These held my hand from giving the movie a much lower rate.