Immigration Game (2017) Directed by Krystof Zlatnik




Luckily this is a pretty enjoyable movie, but other than that, it really isn't anything too special to watching, despite a fascinating and original sounding premise.

This is a pretty unique movie, but that is mainly because it is being such an unusual. Well, I say that it is original, but it still obviously 'borrows' heavily from a ton of movies and can best be described as a "The Hunger Games", "The Purge" and "The Warriors" hybrid, while still combining all of these movie elements in a pretty original enough way. Sounds absolutely awesome and perfect, but the movie in fact is being far from perfect though.

The main problem with this movie is its style. I just don't really know what this movie is trying to be like. It on the one hand picks a very realistic and gritty approach with its violence, look and overall story approach, but on the other hand the story also features some heavily exaggerated characters and situations in it, that can't be considered to be realistic at all. The approach of the movie clashes with its story at times, which makes it hard to watch at times. Does the movie want you to be shocked or to be entertained? I can't tell you, since I myself am confused about this, at multiple points throughout the movie.

Seems to me that this movie started off as a serious project, with also a deeper and more meaningful message behind things, but during production it became obvious to the film-makers that making a more entertaining was far more easy- and fun to do. It is a bit messy and really not the most consistent movie around, but at the same time I am also still glad that by the end they picked a more entertaining approach to things, since I definitely still was entertained by all of it.

Thing that it also very consistent with though is its language. It is weird how this movie keeps switching back and forth between German and English. There really isn't much logic behind it, other than also trying to appeal to a more international crowd. The acting also isn't anything too impressive, but that really doesn't matter too much, since the movie never gets too serious with any of the drama or other emotions. After all, what starts off as a pretty serious and intense movie eventually turns into nothing more but a pretty stupid, yet entertaining, one. No need for the actors to act very convincing, or handle some heartfelt emotions.

It luckily also is a very good looking movie. Quite appealing looking actually and certainly not like any other typical low-budget production, shot somewhere in Europe. It makes it on the one hand a very well directed movie, but on the other still a bit of a messy and too simplistic one.

This movie certainly is a mixed bag, but in the end I still ended up being entertained by it, which makes it an OK on in my book.

6/10

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