A Academia do Sr. Kleks

Title says it all. It's win-win for both parents and children, assuming you, as a parent took something beforehand to relax. This movie is WILD. What is even happening? Does anyone know? I sure don't. My kids seem to like it though, and that's all that matters, right? I'm also enjoying it kind of, even though it's terrible.

There was one scene I didn't love, where the owl man was talking to the main girl in her window and asked if he could use her toilet. I immediately turned to my kids and said, "HEY. If a strange person appears at your window, don't open it under any circumstances, even if they look like an owl. I don't care if it's a unicorn, a princess, a horseman, or whatever--just don't open it, okay?"

All this to say, this movie is objectively terrible. HOWEVER, it's still kind of entertaining. So that's why it still gets a 6. It entertained me and that's all a movie is supposed to do.

Despite my great desire to whitewash this film with the argument that it is a children's production, unfortunately it is difficult for me to say anything positive about it. I wonder who the target audience of this film is, because it is scary at times, and the "wolves" use a fictitious language with subtitles as a translation, which may be a problem for children up to 8 years old. The film's production is very poor: the dialogues are artificial and quite awkward to listen to for older viewers - people don't talk like that, the magical land looks very cheesy and doesn't seem extraordinary. Moreover, the photos from the movie were better in moments when the action takes place in the "normal world" (my personal opinion). Mr. Kleks himself, as well as most of the characters, are created to be funny, but it doesn't work here either. However, the biggest complaint I have against "Mr. Klesek's Academy" is the length of the film and, at the same time, its incredible chaotic nature and lack of consistency in the continuation of threads or events. Personally, I got lost in space-time a few times and couldn't understand many situations, let alone a viewer aged 6-10. There were many small children in the cinema hall, and I also had an ambitious task to explain to my 6-year-old sister what, where and how. The songs were definitely a big plus as they enlivened the children during the show and most of the room sang along. Additionally, the messages woven into this chaotic projection were very valuable, but I am not sure whether they were catchable for a young viewer. I am not able to rate this film and I am still not sure who it is intended for. However, after leaving the room, my younger sister said that she liked the film, so it seems that the film is popular among children 😉

Kleks Academy, a modern remake of a classic 1980s film based on the book from 1946, impressively stands out in its technical aspects. The visual effects are of high caliber, rivaling those seen in international cinema, indicating a significant advancement in the quality of effects compared to its predecessor. Complementing these visuals, the movie's soundtrack is notable for its quality, adding depth and atmosphere to the scenes. Notable but not to the level of 1980's music, which become iconing for many children of that time

However, a film cannot ride solely on its technical merits, and it's here that Pan Kleks begins to falter. As someone familiar with both the book and the original film, I had high expectations for this adaptation. There was an opportunity for this story to resonate globally, potentially emulating the success of franchises like Harry Potter. Unfortunately, that potential remains unfulfilled.

The primary issue lies in the character development, particularly with Professor Kleks. Despite a solid performance by the actor, the character is diminished by a poorly written script, reducing what should be a central figure to a mere background presence. This lack of character depth is a recurring problem; even the diverse group of children introduced from around the world are relegated to fulfilling stereotypes rather than being fully realized characters.

Narratively, the film struggles with coherence and engagement. The plot feels disjointed and often dull, lacking the compelling storytelling necessary to captivate an audience. Relationships between characters, like that between Adriana and her 'best friend' Albert, are underdeveloped, missing opportunities to build emotional connections or sympathy with the audience.

In this lackluster ensemble, two performances stand out: Danuta Stenka and Sebastian Stankiewicz. Stenka, in her role as one of the antagonists, and Stankiewicz, as Mateusz, bring much-needed vitality to their scenes, eliciting genuine emotional responses such as laughter, fear, or anger. Their efforts, however, are not enough to carry the entire film.

In conclusion, while Kleks Academy excels in its visual and auditory presentation, it falls short in its storytelling and character development. The movie had the potential to introduce this beloved Polish story to a broader audience but ultimately fails to deliver a compelling or coherent narrative. Regrettably, despite its visual and auditory merits, Kleks Academy falls short of realizing its full potential. With a more refined script and visionary direction, this adaptation could have truly honored the cherished story it sought to bring to life.

This would have been so much better as a limited series. It felt like so much of the plot was missing, left on the cutting room floor, in a bid to fit the film into the two and a bit hour run time. Nice cinematography but what little story there was jumped about so made little sense. There was no real character development, no flow & no reason to invest in any of the characters. Virtually no story telling, unless perhaps you're familiar with the book and can fill in the gaps? (I'm not) It doesn't make a lot of sense. Very disappointing as this had so much potential. What an unfortunate waste..

Guys, if you watched the film in the Netflix translation, you haven't seen it!

I watched this film several times.

First in Ukrainian, because I expected a more correct translation. Then in English and was very upset. And I agree with the critics' reviews in many ways. I really love the fairy tales of Brzechwa. And the films of Gradowski. And I didn't like this show very much.

BUT, not long ago I saw this film in un official Russian translation and was very surprised.

So I watched the Polish original. Yes, I barely understand Polish.

Guys, this is a completely different feeling from the film!!!

It seems to me that Netflix first made a bad translation into English, and then into other languages.

The film is wonderful, it has a lot of symbolism and meaning.

Yes, I still don't like how Tomasz Kot plays here, but his role is not simple.

But I still want to see a continuation.