Retro Film Review: Prepoznavanje (Recognition, 1996)

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(Edited)

(source:imdb.com)

In mid 1990s standards of Croatian cinema were so low that merely watchable films were hailed as masterpieces. As a result, the films that were passable in mid 1990s are hardly watchable today, when Croatian cinema is supposed to be better (or at least, more sensitive to comparisons with films made in Croatia's neighbours). Prepoznavanje, 1996 thriller by Snježana Tribuson, is one of those films.

Like almost any Croatian film at the time, it was produced by Croatian state television and had brief run in theatres and video stores before being put on air. The script by Maja Gluščević deals with consequences of recently ended war. Ana (played by Nataša Dorčić) is a young woman who suffered terribly during the early days of the war in her native village - she witnessed her mother being murdered and than herself being raped by Mihajlo (played by Zoran Čubrilo), member of Serb paramilitary forces. Years later Ana lives in Zagreb and has almost forgotten her ordeal. But one day on the streets she sees the man who happens to be the spitting image of Mihajlo. She quickly informs the police, but Inspector Kovač (played by Milan Štrljić) is skeptical towards her story because, according to police data, Mihajlo got killed in the war. Ana decides to pursue her own investigation and in the process gets estranged from her boyfriend Ivan (played by Goran Višnjić).

Unpleasant and traumatic details of Croatia's recent past provided more than exotic background for this thriller - they also offered many opportunities for script to explore some difficult issues like crime, punishment, forgiveness, survivors' guilt and other psychological traumas. Unfortunately, Tribuson made this film in Tudjman's Croatia and the intriguing concept suffered because of totally implausible plot device - underground network of former Serb paramilitaries who had nothing better to do but to risk capture in middle of Zagreb instead of taking shelter in Serbia or more prosperous Western countries. If the idea behind this was to warn Croatians to be eternally vigilant against their defeated war adversaries, this film was bad way to do it. Tribuson's film has decent dialogues and decent cinematography, and even the acting is very good for 1990s Croatian standards. Ironically, the most successful Croatian actor of our times - Goran Višnjić - is least convincing of them all. Even less convincing are the action scenes, after which Prepoznavanje looks cheaper than it really is.

RATING: 4/10 (+)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on January 14th 2004)

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