Napad - Der Überfall

The performances are nothing short of exceptional. The lead actor delivers a powerhouse performance, embodying the complexities and inner turmoil of a character seeking redemption. The supporting cast also shines, each bringing depth and nuance to their roles, making the film's world feel incredibly real and immersive. The screenplay is sharp and thought-provoking, offering dialogues that resonate and leave a lasting impact.

In conclusion, Justice is a perfect watch, with a blend of entertainment and substance. It is a powerful reminder of the complexities of justice and the importance of standing up for what is right.

A particularly brutal bank robbery takes place in Warsaw. So bad that the planned bank merger in the now democratic Poland of 1995 could be at risk. A long-retired police officer from the former secret police named Tadeusz Gadacz (Olaf LUBASZENKO) is suddenly reactivated. His ultra-brutal methods from his communist past could now be useful again. Gadacz is to support the young inspector Aleksandra Janicka (Wiktoria GORODECKA) in her investigations. It quickly becomes clear that the young Kacper Surmiak (Jedrzej HYCNAR) and his two friends Marek (Stanislaw LINOWSKI) and Bartek (Lukasz SZCZEPANOWSKI) could have something to do with the bloody robbery. But in Poland after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a policeman like Gadacz can no longer torture the truth out of them...

The global streaming provider NETFLIX has added a very exciting crime film by Michel GAZDA to its program. It tells very emphatically about the trials and tribulations of the post-reunification period in the former communist Poland. In terms of structure, it is of course very reminiscent of the Spanish crime classic LA ISLA MINIMA from 2014, but is so haunting, moving and unique that watching this heist movie in the guise of a dark social portrait is definitely worth it! The Polish film industry has repeatedly proven in recent years what great genre stories can be discovered there.

I decided to write a review after reading the some of the comments where viewers are criticizing the movie for not being realistic and saying this or that would have normally happened. I am not saying that it's a masterpiece and there were moments when I felt not much was happening and the dialogues weren't adding anything valuable to the movie.

However, when people say in reality there would be cameras and other equipment to record the robber when trying to kill the policeman, then I can give you a short history lesson about Poland. Until 1989 it was a communist country, when the police was called "militia" and was doing whatever they pleased, corruption was unbelievable and you could barely differentiate them from the criminals and the mob. In the early 90s barely anybody had cameras and it was even mentioned in the movie that they wouldn't have any wire at all if not for the old "militia" detective who still knew some people who had the wire van that they were using. Also, the police didn't change right away and for many years a lot of the previous "militia" continued to co-operate with the mob and dealing with things the way they liked.

As for the comments that the heist didn't look realistic (not to mention that "Die Hard" is the real example of what a heist should look like), actually the heist part really happened in Poland and women really came to work in the bank early and were killed because of that. There was no siege, things blowing up or a shoot-out with the police. This is not the US, I have never seen a real gun in my life and it would have been incredibly unrealistic to create something similar to "Die Hard" to take place in Poland :)

Anyway, if you are looking for an action movie, this is not it. And I can understand that people not knowing much about Poland and mostly watching crime films packed with chases, drama, shoot-outs and incredible stunts may not like this movie at all and find it boring. But I can say one thing for sure - it is actually pretty realistic!

Don't listen to the bad reviews and please give it a chance. Slow burn, good character development and motivation. The acting was very good as well that even through subtitles was able convey the character's emotions. Loved the Nolan-esque score that helps set the serious tone of the film, but of course at a much smaller scale.

Bad reviews have got to be based on the lack of spectacle that everyone sees to expect nowadays. Thanks for that MCU! No CGI, no super cops or boss girls, just a good and solid detective story. I cannot recommend it enough and I really hope more movies like this get put on the streaming platforms.

Surprisingly well written dialogues, substantly inspired by "Psy", in this film which is a creative interpretation of a real-life bank robbery during the political changes in Poland in the 90s.

You will find many reviews criticising the fakeness of the case, but if you approach Napad/Justice the way the filmmakers want you will get a really entertaining police thriller with a body count like in the good Midsomer Murders, a grim old secret communist policeman in the lead, suspense that comes out of absolutely nowhere, a not particularly sensible investigation, but for all that very pleasantly acted (even the child actors!), with really good dialogue and great sets and costumes (I give a seal of approval as someone who remembers the 90s from my childhood and teenage years).

Basically, it was clearly an attempt to create a typical American thriller from a streaming service, only set in Polish early capitalism reality. And in this category I have no hesitation in recommending it.