On the screens of Ukrainian cinemas there was a new film directed by the director “Peak of Fear” – Stanislav Kapralov.
The Ukrainian-Polish-American mystical thriller “Egregor” debuted at the Ukrainian box office this week. The Focus journalist visited the pre-premiere screening of the tape and is ready to tell what he thinks of one of the cinematographer’s most controversial “long-term constructions” in Ukrainian history.
The shooting date of the tape “Egregor”
The idea for the film arose in 2015, with the shooting budget approved by Goskino, and at that moment, the whole responsibility of the daily shooting life should have fallen on his shoulders, be it the joy of laurels or the pain of failure. , in a sense, an experienced director of the Ukrainian thriller – Lubomyr Levitsky, because on his conscience he is not the most burdened with bad projects – “Shadows of Unforgettable Ancestors” and the forerunner of the Ukrainian slasher – “After”. Although both tapes are “stamped”, objectively – it’s not a shame. However, we were not destined to find out how Levitsky’s film would turn out, because the whole shooting process “migrated” to the director Stanislav Kapralov, with whom the audience is familiar from the Hollywood movie “Peak of Fear”. with Ivanna Sakhno in the lead role. True, how familiar the audience is to him is debatable, but film critics once “bullshited” him.
Initially, the premiere of “Egregore” was planned for 2018, but it did not work out. Then – to March 2022 and again a delay for obvious reasons. The premiere took place only in April 2023. As a result, 8 years passed from the time the budget was approved and the shooting started until the movie was released on the screens. And to the question, was the game worth such a long dress up? Most likely not.
What is the movie “Egregor” about?
According to the plot of the film in Lvov, under mysterious circumstances, professor Orest Grabovsky commits suicide. Professor Lesya’s (Alena Lavrenyuk) daughter comes to Lviv to investigate the causes of death and then calls her ex-boyfriend, as well as her student and father’s friend, police officer Arthur Weiss (Omri Rose). , from New York. And no, they don’t bother to explain to us how all these people know each other. Just know and don’t ask questions!
Artur and Lesya had a difficult relationship in the past. Now Arthur drinks a lot, works little, and has casual sex, but in his heart he honors Les’s memory, as the audience might have guessed, given how quickly an American police officer agreed to fly to Lviv to help investigate the death of his lover. father. Meanwhile, the hero of the movie unexpectedly finds an updated ticket to Lviv in his apartment. Therefore, the heroes of “Egregor” join forces to investigate the ancient Order of Cynocephali (quiet people in dog masks), the Vatican secretary, an ancient Kievan hymn, lying in full view and featuring a mysterious tattoo “3:40”, as well as birth children and a little – the city of Warsaw. In the background, the word “egregor” appears in front of the viewer’s nose, and its essence, by the way, is never revealed until the end of the story. The producers seem to like the word.
in essence a little
If you pay attention (and it’s impossible not to pay attention) to the awkward montage of the scenes and the jerky movements of the characters from insight to insight and then from location to location, then you’ll find yourself thinking it looks more like tape. a compilation of short films from different authors that converge on a single theme – some trying to create religious suspense without investing a full meter. Camera work is no less worthy of “praise”: without details, it is also very … spasmodic.
Of course, the Ukrainian audience does not expect much from the Ukrainian mystic-conspiracy detective. He will understand everything, be ready to support and forgive because the budgets are far from Hollywood, there is little experience in such niches, while the current realities say something like “there is no time for cinema anymore.” But Ukrainian viewers deserve respect for their willingness to understand and forgive, and this certainly should not be denied from them.
Was it worth watching the Ukrainian thriller “Egregor”?
Yes if:
- Are you ready to support the local filmmaker because he has a great future no matter what.
no if:
- Regarding the “no” – everything is written above.
Earlier, Focus wrote in detail about the premiere of the movie “Egregor” in the cinema “Gulliver”. Also about the dress at the premiere of “Egregore” star Alena Lavrenyuk from the Paco Rabbane fashion house.
Source: Focus
Mary Moore is an accomplished author and journalist known for her engaging and informative writing on trending topics. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a keen interest in current events and a talent for finding the human angle in stories, Mary’s writing is always engaging, insightful and informative.