Jan Komasa's "Warsaw 44" is an audacious and impressive, genre-blending pop-cultural epic war or, as some might put it, anti-war motion picture that hits the nail on the head with unusual and daring vision from an unknown director from Poland. The story is as simple as it gets. It's just before the summer of 1944 in occupied Warsaw, Poland. Nazi's are retreating slowly leaving the eastern front behind. The Second World War is coming to its end and clearly new order is about to be established. Poland, which had suffered numerous tragic blows of fate in its history, finally has a chance to prove its right for independence.Stefan (fresh, unobvious and heavy on delicate retro 40's charm Jozef Pawlowski) is the only breadwinner after he lost his father at the beginning of the war. In order to make it and get by with his grief stricken mother and younger brother Jas Stefan unlike his peers is away from getting involved into polish resistance rebellion preparing for the uprising against German occupation. It takes an unfortunate event for Stefan to be forced to join the underground polish Home Army where he meets his old friends and a girl – Alicja (brilliant Zofia Wichlacz). Stefan keeps his new engagement secret from his troubled mother. And then one day surprisingly to everybody involved there comes an order to start the uprising, which is meant to last three days but eventually will lead to a bloody apocalypse.From the beginning of the movie we experience a visual orgy of different genres mixed together dipped in a salsa gravy of brutal and bloody scenes provocatively shot in a very colorful and even at times fairy-like manner with a little bit of ironical kitsch unlike a typical war cinema has made us to expect. Komasa insanely puts young actors on an emotional roller coaster where things resemble a nightmarish Klimov's "Come and see" crossed with a Disney fairy tale juxtaposing a slo-mo of bullets circling around the kissing lovers with the downpour of blood and guts in one of the most gruesome scenes to be shown in cinema. The way of storytelling makes us follow the characters but surprisingly not because of their psychology, which seems as simple in construction as it gets concerning the fact that we watch people in the middle of unleashed hell where they can only escape or take cover occasionally shoot a bullet at an invisible German enemy. At first you would like to have characters which are more proactive but then - hey! It's war, not another Rambo movie. The characters are tools or goggles through which a viewer can experience the simulation of the world, which does not pretend to be Warsaw from 1944 either. It's more of a dreamy creation, a fantasy, phantom all coming from the director's mind bravely composed with uneasy feeling of disappointment, as if helmer writer wanted to express his doubt whether we would ever let it go and just live together not minding differences in this Babel world. Whoever is seeking realism, regular narrative war movie and psychologically twisting drama would feel disappointment watching "Warsaw 44" since it's a rare, provocative, ambitious and original gem, a super budget experiment on one of the biggest and most horrifying events in XX century, a bloody opera staged before our damned eyes to show us the fire we lit up ourselves once in a while in the name of hatred and self-destruction.

I must say I am humbled by the experience that I went through, to be transported back to Warsaw uprising in 1944, during the 63-day struggle to liberate World War 2 Warsaw from Nazi/German occupation. Historically Warsaw could have been first city liberated from German oppression, however due to various military and political miscalculations, as well as global politics which played among Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Red Army stopped at the line of the Vistula River letting the rest of the Polish resistance to bled out. Kevin Spacey once famously said that the theatre is actor's medium, film is director's. It is indeed director's taste and sensibilities as well as his background that creates the style of the filmmaking he/she often shows in his/her movies. Polish writer/director Jan Komasa achieved something very moving and special at the same time, in creating a world that feels truly authentic in it's depiction of violence and sacrifice Poles had to go through, in their fight with German occupying force. It can be said that perhaps "Warsaw 44" might be a little bit too rough and does not leave too much to imagination, being very graphic in its battlefield scenes, constantly holding the audience in state of tension, but there is more depth here that essentially meets the eye at first. I think that was indeed the purpose of this film to experience the horror of what it had to be like, to participate in those tragic times. By focusing on a microcosmos of few characters, the director created a sense of comradeship with the characters. Essentially it is a story of 18-year-old Stefan who works to support his mother and his younger brother. The Home Army command decides to attack the weakened Germans withdrawing to the West. Stefan wants to fight the enemy with his friends and his loved one by his side. The first days of the uprising are joyous, the enemy retreats. But their happiness doesn't last long. The German army enters Warsaw, the uprising is doomed. There is a love triangle between Stefan (Józef Pawłowski), Alicja (Zofia Wichlacz) and Kamila (Anna Próchniak) that adds to the intensity of the piece. Above mentioned actors are relatively unknown and by casting them the viewer can easily identify with their struggle.The battlefield scenes are second to none comfortably capable to compete with any Hollywood blockbuster productions of the last few years. Komasa utilizes the music and sound design to truly put you in a place of our protagonists. There are some questionable stylistic choices, including a sex scene between Stefan and Kamila, which could have been taken out of "Matrix: Reloaded". Where dub step music inter cut together with slow motion of the soldiers surrounded by fire, can be more fitting in a music video, instead of serious war drama. On few occasions Komasa uses a game like, first person shooter point of view, that can feel bit gimmicky and self- indulgent, as well as out of place in piece of this sort. This is where directors stylistic immaturity and balance between the substance (visual techniques) over the content (narration of the story) takes charge, though they can be overlooked due to the overall quality of the production. Apart form those few minor stylistic mishaps I must say "Warsaw 44" or "City 44" (the film can be identified by both titles) is wonderfully refreshing look at the atrocities of WW2, told through the perspective of a young mans eyes which indeed can be seen on the screen. The production and the costume design as well as sheer scope are absolutely breathtaking. Considering the subject, emotionality of the acting and concentration of heroism on Poles, versus movies that are often noticed by the Academy of Motion Pictures, with subject of the holocaust or stories of struggle by Jewish people, sadly this film will not receive the attention it rightfully deserves and it is pity indeed, because movies of this quality are created once in a blue moon. If you have the opportunity I highly recommend this film and you don't have to be Polish to truly enjoy it. Well done Jan Komasa, well done indeed. Highly RECOMMENDED!

I don't often watch Polish films but I have to admit that this one was worth my while. From the talented young actors to the music to the special effects, the film sticks in your mind. The plot was less realistic than originally expected but nevertheless manages to successfully and accurately portray the Warsaw uprising of 1944 with extraordinary attention to detail. However, I must add that a few of the scenes were so unrealistic and cringe worthy that I had to turn away (Yes, I'm talking about the infamous kissing scene were the bullets simply fly around the characters while they share a passionate kiss (complete with slow motion effects) making the whole scene almost funny, bearing in mind the fact that they were being shot at). On the other hand I understand and appreciate the directors 'artistic approach'. The acting, in my opinion, was spot-on. The raw emotions in some of the scenes were almost tear jerking. Especially with the benefit of hindsight and knowledge that this film was based on actual events. Several quotes stuck with me (e.g. "These are my people..." "These kids?" because let's face it, that's what they all really were. This really does grab you by the throat as a viewer , knowing all the terrors those young people experienced). It was quite an eye opener. The film set is amazing. As previously mentioned, the attention to detail is wonderful. From the costumes to the props and scenery. The music choices created a wonderful link between tradition/the history and modern times resulting in a fantastic mix of the two. All in all, I was pleased and well-satisfied with the film (despite the weak-ish ending). Everything from the acting to the general mise-en-scene contributes to the final (spectacular) effect this film has on the viewer. I highly recommend watching this film. 130 minutes well spent.

There are much better films about world war two events. This movie combines some historical information with an improbable love triangle and battle scenes with matrix-like visual effects. The sound is fine, camera work is good and the visual effects are competent, but taste is lacking in the way it was all put together. The scene where the protagonist first meets his main girl is very weak. The scene of their first kiss is ridiculous. For some unexplained reason, the main girl goes off on a walk, in the middle of a battle zone. The protagonist sees that there are Germans nearby and instead of shooting at the Germans from his vantage point or telling his mates that there is a problem, he goes after the girl, saves her from a bullet and when they kiss, rockets and anti-aircraft bullets suddenly fly around like it was Vietnam.It's probably good enough for mass markets accustomed to Hollywood blockbusters, but it's not a good film.