Milada (2017) Reviews

• Confusing plot, not well presented

  yvonne-302712018-05-08

  I watched this movie because my heritage is Czech and I wanted to learn more about Czech history during the early years of communism. I have family that lives on the street that had been renamed after 1990 to honor this woman, so I wanted to learn more about her. I did know how roughly what her fate was before I started watching the movie. I was greatly disappointed. First, I did not understand why everyone spoke with a thick accent. The people would have spoken Czech and they surely did not have thick accents in their native language. So the accents were inappropriate under the circumstances and annoying and distracting.The movie seemed to be pretty faithful to what I imagine was period imagery in then-Czechoslovakia. However, the soul of the film was missing. It showed what happened but never ever WHY. I had to go to Wikipedia to read about Milada Horakova to learn something about her, and not even that answered why she was arrested both by the Germans and then the communists, when she was a very left-wing person herself. The only thing I will remember is that this woman did not care about her husband or her child, she repeatedly placed them in danger and was selfish enough to dump her whole family on her younger sister. At least that's the impression I got from the movie. I had absolutely no idea what exactly Milada did or said to end up so persecuted. I also had no idea, based on watching the movie, why notable personages of the day would have cared about her fate and appealed on her behalf. So all in all, the movie was a huge disappointment - I really don't know any more about Milada Horakova after watching the movie than I did before.

• Biopic of important national hero

  indiapaige2018-06-25

  Czech history is a lesson in centuries old struggles for freedom, democracy, arts and humanity. Milada the woman was an embodiment of this struggle. That her life be brought to international attention seems fitting. The film has a difficult attempt to cohesively portray her life, seemingly needing a rewrite or three. Milada, the film attempts to follow the heroic feminine strengths of Milada Horáková from surviving Nazi concentration camp through Russia's occupation of Czech people again and again. Milada upheld the doctrine of humanitarian ideals in her socialwork against a changing backdrop of enforced political changes. Ultimately she fell victim to a monkey trial following Russian occupation and regime change, Milada continued to fight for basic human dignity of free thought, individual will and democracy. The films dedication in 2017 is to "2 billion worldwide strugglng under dictatorial governments". The timely release of this film perhaps left few materials for an inexperienced writer to paint a full living breathing portrait of this strong woman, important to international themes having been awarded the highest recognized honor in Czech society. I wish the screenplay had been written through feminine eyes, based on richer biographic material. Hopefully the film succeeds in showing the poison of dictatorial regimes seeking scapegoats for populist theater, despite lacking criminal indictments or volition.

• Excellent overview

  michaelobar2018-09-19

  I watched this movie because so many friends, young and old, who live in Prague and Plzen highly recommended it to me. Before watching the movie, the o my thing I knew about Milada was that she was a heroic woman who was outspoken against communism. So, I didn't have much to go on, and I decided to not research her prior to the movie - watching strictly on the high recommendations from my Czech friends. Without knowing much about her, I can confidently say the movie leaves out so much of Milada's story. However, it would be very difficult to make such a movie without it being at least 8 hours long. That said, I would say that this movie is as much about the era surrounding Milada and the principles on which she stood than it was about her. The historical subtleties stirs me to do more research about Milada Horakova as well as her husband, Bohuslav Horak. I do think it would be great if the BBC would do a mini-series as a compliment to this movie.

• Nice review of this case

  mirekrajsky2018-06-28

  I really wanted to see this moovie after I got know it was relased. Only thing which could never let me cold is simplified judgement of secret police interrogators, they often were not so font even to women. I'm find this film good 'cause of showing how was it in early czechoslovakia, not many people will remember this in few decades. I wasn´t finding if that letter were true but all the scenarios looked equvalent. For those who have no idea how was it looking here I write a short commentary bellow: U know after WWII Stalin pacted with west to let CSR lefty, so soviet agents made all they could to set this regime "unraw way" selected. As it was in movie, Milada was strong woman and politican, which did her work well and never wanted to come Austrian 3rd reich's oligarchy true again as well as communistic's regime with united farms, poverty and in need fear. I hate communistic headquaters of previous century, not because of their social meaning and lifestyle of dependence, but because of criminal and very violent dealing and threating of families of they don't do like they blow like u saw here. Only thing is wrong today: In czech TV common news dialog one woman from communistic side told she doesn't think that admissions were realy forced.

• Very Good

  sullivanjoseph-907022019-03-11

  After having lived in the Czech Republic from 91 -97 I believe this film portrayed Milada quite well. As an era film I couldn't help but compare it to what is happening in the US today. If you disagree with the leftist ideology you are branded as anti-American. The US needs heroes like Milada. I believe many films like this are suppressed. The film "Child 44" with Tom Hardy and Naomi Repace, another communist era film, only lasted 2 weeks in theaters and then it was impossible to find. This film is highly recommended.