Legiony (2019)

Legiony: Directed by Dariusz Gajewski. With Sebastian Fabijanski, Bartosz Gelner, Wiktoria Wolanska, Miroslaw Baka. A universal story about entering adulthood in difficult times, growing up to the community. The great history is the background for the love story unfolding in the foreground: Józek, a deserter from the tsarists army who joins the emerging Legions, an intelligence agent for the I Brigade and Women’s Leage member – Ola, and Tadek, her fiancee, a member of Shooting Team. Apart from fictitious characters whose stories were modeled on the biographies of real legionnaires, many historical figures appear in the film. Among them: Brigadier Józef Pilsudski, Lieutenant Stanislaw Kaszubski, pseud. “King” and many others. The film focuses on the Legion’s combat trail from1914-1916, from the departure from Oleandry to the battle of Kosciuchnowka and show the most dramatic cards of the legionary epic, including the famous attack of uhlans at Rokitna – one of the most spectacular scenes in the film.

“The movie tells the story of Polish Legions that fight for the reestablishment of their motherland after 123 years of the Partition of Poland. While the historical aspects are presented quite well, underlying the patriotism and bravery of the Legionairies, the romantic plot that emerges between a deserter Jozek, a Legionairy Tadek and a young fighting woman Ola seems to lack some resolution. Female lead acting isnu0026#39;t the strongest, the emotional aspects seem to be missing, and the character of Ola ultimately appears to be bland and shallow, especially in the way she treats Józek in the end. Jozek is a much more complex character: withdrawn, brave, distant and a bit of a loner, he makes an intriguing individual. The actor definitely delivers. He deserves a better confrontation with Tadek and Ola as the way the love story ends seems like an unfinished business, something that was nice when it was needed but was ultimately shrugged off by the girl in a surprisingly emotionless way. All in all, itu0026#39;s a great movie about Polish people and their incredible patriotic spirit. I just wish the romance was at least half as powerful as the will of the Legionaries to recover their home.”