The Champion

Poland did not disappoint again. Maciej Barczewski delivers a great debut, combining two attractive themes into one: a historical war drama set in Auschwitz and a boxing drama in an unconventional setting, and it works brilliantly. The main character is a former boxing champion from Warsaw who is transported to a newly established Nazi concentration camp where he fights for his life. A very powerful story where the horrors perpetrated on the Jews are well depicted (mass entry into the gas chambers, mass shootings, the Nazis are shown in the most horrific and inhumane form), and when one Nazi (a boxer) notices the main character, he gives him the opportunity to box with his fellow prisoners for the amusement of the Nazis. The fights in the ring are decently shot, the film is only 90 minutes long so it keeps a good pace, the atmosphere of the ugly setting works very well, and the acting is great as well, so definitely a good film. Story 4/5. Action 3/5, Humour 1/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 4/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 4/5. 7.5/10. (05/10/2022)

I once generously gave the film La vita è bella (1997) two stars, so I'll have to give the same rating to this one. Both films share a similarly warped view of life in a concentration camp, leaving me quite curious about how actual survivors of Nazi camps would react. Would they be enraged? Disgusted? Would they find the most idiotic lapses laughable? It's hard to say. This film definitely raised a lot of questions for me. However, I must admit that its portrayal of this true story fell short. Despite the sentimental moments, lofty words, and big ideas, it failed to truly capture the reality of those events. / Lesson learned: Work may be liberating, but I've always been a bit more inclined towards laziness. (06/06/2022)