Waves

At this year's KVIFF, I tried twice – and in vain – to get into one of the most talked about films of the year, so I had to wait for Waves to “crash” into the theater. Jiří Mádl's film excellently combines the lesser-known story of Czechoslovak Radio journalists with an execution that can satisfy a wide audience. The inserted period songs give Waves a touching period feel, while the play with images, archival footage and filters elevates the film to a high technical level. However, Waves wouldn't have resonated as much as it did if it weren't for the excellent casting. The story itself, about trying to resist and fight against a lying and oppressive regime, is timeless and very relevant at the moment – in this regard, these Waves arrive at the most opportune time and definitely deserve both thumbs up. (13/09/2024)

Jiří Mádl has managed to do something that is hard to see in contemporary Czech cinema, he made a film of European quality. He tells a story that, without any pathos and black and white, works well as a historical account, but also as a parallel to the present time and recent events elsewhere. The 130 minutes pass like water and the film resonates nicely after the end, as confirmed by the huge audience applause at this year's premiere in the Great Hall. [KVIFF 2024] (02/07/2024)

I had to process the film for 2 days. Really 2 days, to organize all my thoughts about this powerful experience. Jiří Mádl truly outdid himself and offered viewers a drama that will get under your skin. And it absolutely meets the strictest standards when compared to global productions. At times, I couldn’t believe that such a precisely polished diamond came from the Czech scene. Otherwise, from an acting standpoint, it's also a completely grand spectacle! Every cast member performed as if their life depended on it! Besides all that, the film offers an unsettling soundtrack that could easily be mistaken for one from Western productions. Story-wise, it's a strong piece that will make you think. I didn’t take my eyes off the screen for a single minute! And when the last half hour hit—two words: emotional bomb. I realized that Mádl truly created something unique... something unique about a dark chapter of Czech history that should be mandatory viewing in schools. I genuinely wish from the bottom of my heart that he at least makes it to the nomination for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Waves deserves it! I give it 8.5/10 (16/09/2024)

Mádl has truly leveled up his directing game. Sure, the theme has been explored countless times, and for Czechs, it’ll always be a sensitive subject. But the way he pieced together this 131-minute story, perfectly paired it with music, and thoughtfully reminded us that nothing is ever black and white—especially in this context—without falling into the trap of sentimentality? Wow. In the festival setting, it's a five-star experience (but otherwise, a slightly more sober 85%). (09/07/2024)

Of all of Jiří Mádl’s directorial efforts, which so far have always exhibited rather striking naïveté and unbelievability, Waves is by far the best. Among other things, that is because it does not suffer from the ills of his previous films. It is superbly prepared in dramaturgical terms and its carefully structured narrative seamlessly combines a very large number of story lines. The film is an example of top-rate craftsmanship in every respect, whether that refers to the period stylisation, costumes, acting or music. Thanks in particular to the driving music, dynamic editing and feel for building suspense, the scenes involving a clash between the police and student demonstrators, the arrival of tanks in Prague in August 1968 and the military assault on the Czech Radio building are comparable to many Hollywood action thrillers due to their intensity and spectacular execution. In the numerous well-written and varied supporting characters based on real journalists and reporters from the Editorial Office of International Life, who struggled with censorship during the Prague Spring and strived at all costs to keep broadcasting during the invasion, the prevailing feature is absolute clarity, in both their emotions and motivations. This important story deserved an honest, sophisticated and first-class treatment, so it is extremely pleasing that Waves ranks among the best in the context of contemporary Czech films. (02/07/2024)