Genres

Visitors Review

manya7-1 2013-05-11 06:35:14

This is a well-acted film, but so depressing!

Yikes! Just watched it in Russian. Fortunately I speak enough Russianto understand the voice-over; wish they had kept it in the originalEnglish and just added Russian subtitles. Kretschmann, Bruhl, Farmigaand Press all give excellent performances; Evegeny Mironov does themost amazing "silent" performance since his Russian version of Kafka's"Metamorphosis". I have no doubt that anti-German sentiment was runninghigh in 1946 in Leningrad; nevertheless, surely there was some hope orray of sunshine in all the gloom. I am beginning to understand why thisfilm was not marketed in America. Unless you lived through those times,or are a student of history, the subject matter of this film may nothave much appeal. Still, for you history buffs out there, don't misssome fine acting in this film.

gradyharp 2013-05-10 18:00:14

An Excellent Idea for a Film, A Very Weak Script

IN TRANZIT is one of those forgotten films the viewer wants to love: anall but unknown bit of history based on a true story that offers adifferent insight into the universal damage inflicted upon all peoplesby WW II. The problem with this production is the embarrassingly weakscript by Natalia Portonova and Simon van der Borgh, the unfocuseddirection by Tom Roberts and the bumpy editing by Paul Carlin.Beautifully photographed by Sergei Astakhov in a manner that emphasizesthe brutality of Russian winters, setting a perfect matrix for thedrama, this film had potential, but even the isolated actingcontributions of a few seasoned actors cannot hide the weak script andthe annoying pacing. 1946 and a Russian Women's prisoner of war camp lays unused until it isdetermined by one evil Russian officer Pavlov (John Malkovich) that itwill become a camp for German prisoners of war to ferret out occultmembers of the Nazi SS group that inflicted such agony on the Russians.The camp is run by a group of angry Russian women soldiers and oneRussian physician Natalia (Vera Farmiga) who together with Citizen Zina(Natalie Press) represent the humanistic side of the suffering Russianvictims of the German brutality. And so it is German men, including thehandsome Max (Thomas Kretschmann) who shares a mutual attraction withNatalia and the enigmatic Klaus (Daniel Brühl) among others, versus theRussian women: role reversal and gender dominance changes create thedrama. One key mute figure is Andrei (the brilliant Russian actorYevgeni Mironov), the psychologically damaged husband of Natalia, whoin many ways represents the tragedy of the entire WW II on mankind. Howthese two groups of people interact and survive the conditions imposedon them forms the story. Though Farmiga and Kretschmann, Press and Mironov overcome the awkwardscript in an attempt to suffuse this film with palpable tragedy, theresult is a bumpy ride through the obvious pitfalls of amateurfilm-making. It could have been an important film, but is remains aminor though interesting insight as to the extended effects of war onpeople's psyches. Grady Harp

2013-05-07 23:58:10

A Brilliant Opportunity Missed - Good Story, Bad Script...

This movie was a good idea and it has some superb actors and actresses in it. The sets are fantastic, but as others have said, the script, or lack thereof, is very noticable. IN TRANZIT could have been a superb movie, but the story line is extremely sketchy at best. This is SUPPOSED to be based on a true story, but they never go into any details about the "true story" even in the extra features, and given the implausibility of this tale, I have an EXTREMELY hard time believing that. Perhaps the "true story" is that Russians had German prisoners long after the war was over?Malkovich is wasted in this movie, as his parts are very short and were obviously shot perhaps all on the same day - two or three at the most, as he always wears the same ridiculous looking overcoat and for some reason never wears a cap - didn't understand that - it's winter in Leningrad, icy cold, and he's bald and never wears a cap?The actress who plays the nurse in this film is the ONLY redeeming factor - she is phenomenal in this movie and delivers a fantastic performance given what she had to work with. Likewise, her mentally wounded husband (the actor) gives a great performance as the gate keeper for the camp. Kretschman, whom I really like, isn't given a chance in this movie as he has hardly any lines, he's on screen very little, and you NEVER understand how he and the head nurse establish a relationship because they're never together until, all of a sudden, there's this passionate love scene that comes out of nowhere, then goes away just as quickly. In short, everything was here to make a fantastic movie, and they simply cobbled together a disjointed mess that leaves you going - "that was it?" at the end.Can't recommend this one, but if you can get it cheap, it's worth seeing just to watch a lovely actress rise above a terrible script and horrible job of directing - she single-handedly made this film bearable.

dreamscape_11 2013-05-07 09:04:20

Excellent film

In Tranzit is a very well acted movie with a story built on characterand emotion surrounding the aftermath of World War 2, rather tha justthe cataclysmic large scale political effects of it. Vera Farmiga is fantastic as the Chief Medical Doctor of a post war POWcamp run by women, who are supervised by the mean, sleazy, sadisticGeneral Pavlov (John Malkovich, at his venomous best!). The man whoplayed Farmiga's mute, shell shocked husband was also excellent. Thebest performance in the film however is Thomas Kretschmann, a severelyunderrated actor who is subtle and riveting as a German POW who fallsin love with the Doctor.Overall a great movie. 8/10

2013-05-01 00:17:16

Excellent!

This review is from: In Tranzit (DVD) Excellent. One of the best WW2 era movies I have ever seen (and I have many!) Superb acting and realistic scenery. An added treasure to my collection!

Richmond Sim 2013-04-30 17:43:10

Historically Good, Visually Dilapidated

I would like to commend the producers for creating a film with uniqueconcept incomparable to other war movies, because instead of tacklingthe rampant theme of war, they tackled the post-war situation.First, in criticizing this film, we don't actually have to deal muchabout the screen portrayals because the movie does not include heavydrama. However, even if it does not, we still have to appreciate thefact that the actors and actresses really did well in portraying andnone of them were over acting. Although, we cannot disavow as well,that there were some who were under acting.Second, I love the fact that the producers did not frontline script tomake a beautiful movie. They made it as realistic as it could be, forit seemed more natural than others.Third, The musical scoring is on average, but one thing that reallydepressed me is the playing of violin by one of the prisoners thatwasn't synchronized with the video.Fourth, I was expecting something more on what I can see on the screen-- something like extreme panning of cameras to switch scenes or someamazing CGIs to depict extreme cruelty -- but then everything seemed tobe mainstream.Fifth, the video quality was good. It was not that dark so that we canclearly see what's happening on screen. It was not that light neitherthat gives a hinge of some historic feeling.Lastly, The whole 113 minutes was dull. The only variations were thefew sexualities which were obviously done to attract and catch viewers.They may use "It's a true story" as an excuse for having no pinnaclescenes other than the sexualities, but I believe it could have beenbetter if they used some cliffhangers to retain, for at least, theinterest of the viewers.Overall, I'd give it a rating of 7 out of 10.

2013-04-27 14:46:29

unexpected

This review is from: In Tranzit (Amazon Instant Video) Interesting, unexpected & distributing...This moving was not gruesome, compared to others of same gendre.Interesting plot line, unexpected.Sad.

dbborroughs 2013-04-26 23:50:09

Okay

Not long after the end of the Second World War German POWs are broughtto a Russian camp that is run by women. The women are suppose to weedout the officers. How the two groups eventually come together and somefind love, is the story. Okay film is the sort of thing that inentertaining while its on, but if it didn't have a small role for JohnMalkovich probably wouldn't have found any sort of wide spread release.This isn't to say that the film isn't worth your time, it is if youthink your inclined to the subject matter, but at the same time I don'tthink this is going to be something you remember. Here I am severalhours after seeing it and the only two things I remember about it was,it wasn't bad and that maybe it was a bit too long. Your reaction maybedifferent.

2013-04-21 22:11:17

Rare good movie. Intense. Drama. After you've seen everything good out there, go for this one

This review is from: In Tranzit (Amazon Instant Video) Liked it very much.Will not give the details, but it is all look very much realistic.The actors are great.

2013-04-21 07:20:45

okay for war movie, good for romance

This review is from: In Tranzit (Amazon Instant Video) it is a good romance movie, but an okay war movie.Not worth it to buy, but okay for renting

2013-04-12 04:53:45

Shocking..

This review is from: In Tranzit (DVD) Collecting movies is a hobby of mine. I especially like stories about the war, those little personal stories that you never hear about. This story is one of those. Based on a true story about an all women prisoner of war camp. The story is all too human giving us a glimps of the struggles people face under intense pressure. A really good weekend movie, especially if you care to see just how remarkable some people are...

2013-04-11 16:29:16

Not an action war movie

This is set after the official end of hostilities, but with hatred and vehemence still runninghigh between the prtagonists.This is suppose to be a true story and I feel it is up to one small point, the 'search' for the SS members out of a group of 51 German Prisoners of War is a sub plot around the romance and intimacies. These grow between the German prisoners and thier all female Russian guards. There is a small however, it was pretty common knowledge that most SS (and some Wehrmacht)men had thier blood groups tattoed on thier left arms (for medical purposes). So a quick check could have solved the mystery, but toward the end of the war this practice became the exception to the rule, so its not really a 'deal breaker'. Only other gripe is that they all speak English albeit with reasonably good accents, but it tends to take away from the reality in that language would have been a barrier to communication at the beginning unless in the real true story they were all bi lingual, a petty gripe I know especially as I actually wasn't in the mood for a sub titled film. All that aside the acting is excellent from all concerned especially Thomas Kretchman, Malkovich is just Malkovich which is always enough and he does help ratchet up the tension. There are enough twists to keep the plot moving at an unnoticably reasoned pace and as such it passes the test of all good films in that you don't feel bored or check your watch. If you like plots with intrigue and a genuine attempt to make a non Hollywood style film then you will enjoy In Tranzit.

2013-04-03 15:36:54

Interesting movie

This review is from: In Tranzit (Amazon Instant Video) Wonderful acting in this movie. The plot is also interesting. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even more of a compelling reason to watch.

2013-04-03 05:23:25

Good show about the Russian Gulag system

This review is from: In Tranzit (DVD) Enjoyed watching this movie. Acting was good. I enjoyed the story line and location scenses were great has a very cold feeling to it.

2013-03-26 01:53:39

"IN TRANZIT" GETS LOST IN TRANSIT

There is an interesting story to be told about German POWs and their female Russian guards following the defeat of Germany in World War II. Because of its weak script, this film does not succeed in doing so.According to the marketing statement on this DVD's hardcase, this is the story: "In the chaotic aftermath of WWII, a group of German POWs are accidentally sent to a female-run Soviet prison camp. When the guards are given the task of weeding out the SS officers, they play a bitter game of cat and mouse with the prisoners. Each group slowly learns that situations are not what they seem; prejudices are sometimes unjustly held; and love can be found in even the harshest places." This muddled and unfocused blurb is less than half accurate. E.g., only one woman (the camp's doctor, played by Vera Farmiga) is given the mission of identifying the SS officers, and she uses no cat-and-mouse game to do so. On the other hand, according to the discussion in the bonus features, the story was supposed to be about how the Russians and their German enemies learned to forgive each other. This is not accurate either.What we are shown is a kaleidoscopic array of often unconnected elements that do not provide us with a story arc or combinations of two or three or four story arcs that make any unified sense. Some guards act with nobility and dignity, some steal food, some seek to gratify their sexual desires, some enjoy inflicting pain, and so on--which merely gives us a cross-section of humanity that might exist almost anywhere on earth. At intervals, SS officers are mysteriously plucked out of the prison population by a male Soviet officer (John Malkovich). At intervals, policies are mysteriously changed by the Soviet government--or by Malkovich's character. E.g., near the end of the film, the prisoners are given musical instruments, a dance is arranged with them and several dozen local Russian women, some of the prisoners begin living with Russian women outside the POW camp, and the gatekeeper of the camp (the mentally disabled husband of the camp's doctor) is taken away. What do these events all add up to?They seem to be scraps of drafts of four or five scripts that were never quite completed. Perhaps they are.

2013-03-25 21:53:40

A Hard movie to watch.

This review is from: In Tranzit (DVD) I was curious. Frankly, this movie is a WASTE of Your money. It ended up in my trash can after two watchings. I couldn't even donate to an area thrift store.

Claudio Carvalho 2013-03-24 15:30:50

Could Be Better and Better

In the winter of 1946, in Leningrad, a group of German prisoners of warare sent to a female transit camp by the cruel Russian Commander Pavlov(John Malkovich). When they arrive, the Russian female soldiers showthe hostility to the enemies that have killed their husbands, familiesand friends; only Dr. Natalia (Vera Farmiga) and the cook Zina (NataliePress) treat the prisoners with dignity. Natalia has an agreement withCommander Pavlov to keep her former lover Andrei (Yevgeni Mironov), whowas wounded on the head during the war and is slow, in the camp insteadof sending him to an institution in Siberia. Pavlov assigns Natalia todisclose members of the SS infiltrated in the group of prisoners.Natalia and the prisoner Max (Thomas Kretschmann) feel a greatattraction for each other while the prisoner Klaus (Daniel Brühl) triesto convince Max to denounce a couple of prisoners to satisfy theRussian. Natalia convinces the businessman Yakov (John Lynch) toorganize an orchestra with the prisoners; they are invited to play in aball, where the lonely women that survived the war dance with theGermans. After the ball, Natalia convinces Officer Elena (TheklaReuten) to let the prisoners spend the night with the women. Nataliahas one night stand with Max and while he sneaks back to the quarters,he is attacked by Klaus and saved by Natalia that discovers who Klausactually is."In Tranzit"is the type of movie that has a great potential and couldbe better and better. Based on a true story, and supported by a greatinternational cast leaded by the awesome Vera Farmiga, John Malkovich,Daniel Brühl, John Lynch and others and magnificent cinematography,costumes and set decoration, unfortunately the screenplay is weak andpointless. The writer seems to be lost in the dramatic conflict of thelonely women in the chaotic post-war with few men in the city but theirformer enemies; the existence of a criminal of war in the group ofprisoners; and the romance of Natalia and Max. I am a fan of the greatactress Vera Farmiga, and her interpretation is dramatically intense;her sex scene is beautifully full of passion and heat. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Vítimas da Guerra" ("Victims of the War")

2013-03-23 22:53:29

Compelling drama about German POWs in a Russian prison camp post WW II

"In Tranzit" is a unique post WW II drama set in Leningrad, Russia and is based on true events. The year is 1946, and a group of German POWs are sent to a prison camp run by female guards [the camp was formerly for women]. Vera Farmiga plays Natalia, the compassionate doctor who treats the prisoners as human beings, whereas the majority of the guards treat the prisoners with disdain. One guard is particularly sadistic, though her treatment of the prisoners needs to be framed within the context of her past, as her family was murdered by German soldiers.With limitations of food and other rations, everyone tries to make do and function the best they can, but things get complicated with the demands of John Malkovich, who plays Pavlov, a high-ranking Russian officer who commands Natalia to get information for him. The information requested is about Nazi SS officers who are hiding amongst the prisoners, and Natalia's job is to weed them out. She is reluctant mainly because she doesn't think it's part of her job, but Pavlov holds a threat over her that has to do with Andrei[Yevgeni Mironov], the mentally unbalanced gatekeeper of the camp.As the period of incarceration progresses, boundaries are crossed - Natalia finds herself drawn to Max, one of the POWs [credibly portrayed by Thomas Kretschmann], others discover intimacy and even love even though it is forbidden, and a musical band is also formed amongst the inmates. This is supposed to be a true story, and I for one thought this was an interesting drama as it dramatizes a relatively unfamiliar series of events, having to do with German POWs incarcerated in a Russian prison camp [especially the part where some of the inmates are allowed to live with women off the camp]. Though I'm very familiar with the events of the Holocaust, this part of history was a revelation to me.The acting, especially by Vera Farmiga as the kind and strong-willed Natalia was amazing, and this is definitely one of her best roles to date [she recently portrayed the CIA operative outed in the movie "Nothing But the Truth"]. John Malkovich somehow seems wasted in this role and his performance was not particularly compelling. The other performance which deserves mention is Yevgeni Mironov's Andrei, who gives a compelling dialogue-free performance, portraying a mentally unstable person.The DVD extra consists of a "Making of Tranzit" feature with director Tom Roberts.Highly recommended for those interested in history and dramas of substance.

2013-03-12 04:37:43

An Excellent Idea for a Film, A Very Weak Script

IN TRANZIT is one of those forgotten films the viewer wants to love: an all but unknown bit of history based on a true story that offers a different insight into the universal damage inflicted upon all peoples by WW II. The problem with this production is the embarrassingly weak script by Natalia Portonova and Simon van der Borgh, the unfocused direction by Tom Roberts and the bumpy editing by Paul Carlin. Beautifully photographed by Sergei Astakhov in a manner that emphasizes the brutality of Russian winters, setting a perfect matrix for the drama, this film had potential, but even the isolated acting contributions of a few seasoned actors cannot hide the weak script and the annoying pacing.1946 and a Russian Women's prisoner of war camp lays unused until it is determined by one evil Russian officer Pavlov (John Malkovich) that it will become a camp for German prisoners of war to ferret out occult members of the Nazi SS group that inflicted such agony on the Russians. The camp is run by a group of angry Russian women soldiers and one Russian physician Natalia (Vera Farmiga) who together with Citizen Zina (Natalie Press) represent the humanistic side of the suffering Russian victims of the German brutality. And so it is German men, including the handsome Max (Thomas Kretschmann) who shares a mutual attraction with Natalia and the enigmatic Klaus (Daniel Brühl) among others, versus the Russian women: role reversal and gender dominance changes create the drama. One key mute figure is Andrei (the brilliant Russian actor Yevgeni Mironov), the psychologically damaged husband of Natalia, who in many ways represents the tragedy of the entire WW II on mankind. How these two groups of people interact and survive the conditions imposed on them forms the story.Though Farmiga and Kretschmann, Press and Mironov overcome the awkward script in an attempt to suffuse this film with palpable tragedy, the result is a bumpy ride through the obvious pitfalls of amateur filmmaking. It could have been an important film, but is remains a minor though interesting insight as to the extended effects of war on people's psyches. Grady Harp, May 09

Michael O'Keefe 2013-03-11 20:25:20

Emotional, bitter and bleak.

Based on several combined true, harsh and emotional stories of war. Inthe manic aftermath of WWII, in a strange switch of power a group ofGerman POWs are accidentally dumped in a female-run Soviet prison camp.The women themselves remembering how it was being in a German POW camp.Memories of whole families, husbands, wives and children massacred arenot wasted when the guards are ordered to weed out the SS officershiding among the prisoners. Each group learns that some prejudices arejust not totally justified. Even betrayal is not out of thequestion...no matter what side you are on.I really liked the whole atmosphere. It seems like you can feel thecold of the falling snow and smell the exhaust from the Soviettransport trucks. Some outstanding acting from Thomas Kretschmann, VeraFarmiga, Daniel Bruhl and John Malkovich. Also in the cast: NataliePress, Thekia Reuten, Tatyana Yakovenko, John Lynch and PatrickKennedy. Some may find IN TRANZIT depressing and even lumbering; youjust have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate it.