Anioł Pański

I’m not that crazy about this year's Christmas TV programming, so after many years I decided to rewatch Angel of the Lord. Jiří Strach is a proud Christian, but even though he has this delusion, I have somehow become fond of his work. So, although this fairy tale is extremely pro-Christian, I was able to suppress my emotions and once again enjoyed its excellent humor on earth as in heaven. (26.12.2019)

Angel of the Lord was preceded by the reputation of being a very high-quality fairy tale that ranks alongside the old proven fairy tale classics. After watching it, I have to say that Czech fairy tale productions have dropped off significantly because Angel of the Lord represents only a better television average and does not belong on the big screen. It is a fairy tale with an obviously limited budget and a screenplay that still needs work, as it contains significant gaps. It's exactly those moments when the main characters are walking back to the castle after the magic transports them from the prison to a distant land. They just keep walking and nothing happens because the screenwriter and director obviously took a nap. Zuzana Kajnarová is unremarkable in her acting, and a few other flaws could be found, yet there is one crucial BUT. Ivan Trojan in the lead role managed to squeeze the maximum out of this opportunity, and his angel Petronel is simply irresistible. Additionally, he is greatly complemented by his contrast, the devil Uriah, also excellently portrayed by Jiří Dvořák. This duo adds a good 30% to the fairy tale. I was also pleased to finally see a live Baby Jesus, which my parents denied me for many years. Overall impression: 65%. (14.06.2006)

The project that I was rooting for. And at the helm, the incredible Ivan Trojan, delivering one-liners by the dozens. The most able to assist him is God with Jiří Bartoška's smoky voice and Dvořák's positive devil. It's a shame that when none of them are on the screen, the pace seems to stall. Nonetheless, the overall pleasant tone of the film, plenty of cameo roles, and Jiří Strach behind the camera, spewing ideas one heavenly gloss after another, bring joy. (22.03.2006)

Christmastime in Heaven... Doesn’t that sound morbid? Not at all, this is simply an attempt by Czech filmmakers to bring the “fairytale" out of the woods and forests to a different location for a change. The entire thing relies purely on the actors and their squabbling. And that’s where the problem lies; it’s a decent sitcom, but a poor fairytale. Maybe it needed a few more puns for adults, a stronger fairytale storyline and for evil to be punished at the end. And the traditional true love storyline is “a bit weird", doesn’t work much and, mainly, fizzles out. (24.12.2006)

I swear to God that if the dramaturgical group had not thought ad rectum, had better estimated the potential of Lucie Konášová's script, and had given director Strach a bigger budget, which would have been reflected in the set design, this film would have been an absolute fairy tale hit! The film is directed clearly, has a spirited plot, the dialogue and scenes are well-defined, and most importantly, it's an absolutely brilliantly cast. In it, Trojan and Dvořák furiously spout ultra-cool catchphrases, but still remain in the shadow of the phenomenal Jiří Bartoška, who is absolutely amazing with his disheveled hair as the Lord! It's unfortunate that the film was partly a standard TV production. If the director keeps doing things the way he has, his next film will vigorously stir the stagnant waters of Czech cinematic slop... I hope. (31.10.2006)