The Criminals (2020) User Reviews

Wonderful

[gbill-74877 · 8/10 · 28 September 2023]

As director Serhat Karaaslan explained it, this was based on his own experience when he was a university student, and apparently echoes the experiences of other young people in Turkey. It's bad enough to think of the deeply conservative mindset that might deny an unmarried couple a room in a hotel, but truly scary to think that they may be caught in the act by surveillance, and the room broken into. The creepiness of the security guard (Erdem Senocak) who is ironically acting with "moral authority" provides quite a contrast with the young couple (Deniz Altan and Lorin Merhart) who express warmth and love, and simply want to be together. Great casting all around here, and a very clean short film, one that efficiently paints its picture, and leaves an impression. Kinda wish the movie poster was different though, as the salacious image didn't seem to be at all what the film was about.

Blue Devil

[expertocrede · 9/10 · 13 August 2022]

This is a very ordinary trouble but I am sure nobody think about making a movie about this distress. Most of the Turkish teens experienced this story. We do not need to discuss deeply, movie distinctly show us the situation. Also script facilitate our comparison with other couple and we can clearly see the discrimation.

Movie is just 23 minutes but I felt a great tension. When we have a little time to make a movie if we want to feel tension we need to use actors and cinematography. I think either factor is good in there.

Before finishing my review I want to talk about acting of the security guard. Presumably, essential component of this eerie feeling is strongly bound with this guy's amazing acting.

Very bad, absurd and dangerous

[tufankorkmaz · 1/10 · 5 October 2023]

The fiction, which has nothing to do with the realities of today's life, was prepared and shot as if it were in the 1960s... It is too exaggerated. A director should choose a scenario by taking into account the culture and spiritual structure of the country he is in and stay away from absurdity. This movie is completely from a far-left perspective. I felt like I was watching a political propaganda movie.... It is very bad and has the potential to sow the seeds of hatred and resentment in society. Unfortunately... I do not recommend this junk movie.... In a word, a waste of time.... Türkiye is a MUSLIM country and sexuality without married is FORBIDDEN in ISLAM.....It looks like the director doesn't know anything about ISLAM despite of the director is living in MUSLIM COUNTRY.