Invention for Destruction

The filmmaking here is genius, incredibly innovative for its time, and cleverly directed film with typically visually stunning Zemanesque sets that precisely imitate and even further develop the original black and white romanticized engravings used as illustrations in classic editions of Jules Verne's novels. Among all attempts to bring Verne's fantastical world to the big screen, Zeman's is the most likable and the most faithful to its source in terms of ideas and emotions. Thanks to its highly stylized atmosphere intentionally utilizing decor that appears archaic and naive according to the period's notions of technological miracles in the 19th century, and thanks to its animated backdrop, this film has not aged. It becomes a classic just like old Dutch master paintings or Mozart's operas. At the time of its release, Invention for Destruction received remarkable acclaim worldwide and was one of the few cases where the Czech film industry surpassed the world and set trends. Overall impression: 100%. (12/27/2007)

Thanks to its beautiful naivety and adventurous story, "Journey to the Beginning of Time" is the best Zeman's film for me, but "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne" definitely doesn't lag behind in terms of special effects. In this regard, it is an absolutely incredible example of what was possible to achieve at that time. Even today, it is a joy to see how brilliant those tricks are. (02/11/2015)

When you realise Karel Zeman made his films on a shoestring, with minimal financial resources in the Gottwald-era, you just smile. He was a true genius. (05/23/2002)

There are good films that simply don’t work out on you, and this just happened to me with The Deadly Invention. I refuse to be objective, 2*, no more than that. (11/26/2009)

My parents taught me to read before I went to school, which may have deprived my country of a budding athlete, but it also meant that I was accompanied for most of my childhood by Jules Verne. In addition to great stories, Verne’s books featured amazing illustrations, providing a complex experience. Karel Zeman managed to do the same with this film. His Invention for Destruction took me back to a time when I was blown away by Verne's imagination. It perfectly captured the atmosphere of Verne’s books. I can't imagine giving it any less than a five-star rating. I'm not opposed to technological development, progress is necessary. I do appreciate quality CGI, but films can’t just turn into a bunch of green-screened nonsense without any story or acting, which is sadly often the case. Karel Zeman had to do his special effects the old-fashioned way, and even after nearly seventy years, his film still holds up today. At least to me, it does. / Lesson learned: If you want to achieve something, put your heart into it. (09/24/2022)