Jojo Rabbit

I was looking forward to Jojo Rabbit for a long time, especially since it’s made by a director whose every film in recent years I totally loved and I only wish him happiness. Moreover, he chose the Czech Republic as the filming location, and the resulting film was nominated with an Academy Award for the best feature film. I understand that the competition is tough so Jojo Rabbit will probably not win, but it’s still a nice promotion for our little country. A war satire is a very visible topic, and when it’s well-made it’s hard to forget. And Taika Waititi did a great job, even though I expected a bit more humor. In places I didn’t know whether it was satire or fantasies of the main character Jojo, perfectly portrayed by Roman Griffin Davis. Taika Waititi is very good in guiding actors in general. And him guiding himself as Hitler is the funniest part of the whole film. In the second half, however, you’ll meet with more serious scenes, which show that even though Jojo perceives the fascists the way he does, it is still war and it’s not exactly fun. A well-done satire, but it’d be even better with more humor. It still has one unique feature, though – the most likable Nazi everplayed by Sam Rockwell. I haven’t seen such a well-written character in a while. (30.01.2020)

Ten-year-old Jojo and his imaginary friend Adolf would do anything for Germany. But when the little hero discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl at home, everything changes. Taika Waititi directs a visually very imaginative film that alternates poignant and harsh moments with humorous ones, and Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell give some of the best performances of their careers. (18.02.2020)

Taika Waititi has made his best film and his style is very close to Tarantino's. A very original war satire with a strong story, tasteful humour, engaging dialogue, great performances (Scarlett Johansson deserves an Oscar, but I also like Sam Rockwell, Taika Waititi as Hitler and the small and clever Roman Griffin Davis). The biggest highlights are the training of the young Nazis, the visit to the Gestapo and the finale. The film manages to surprise several times, keeps a decent pace and the humour is occasionally replaced by a cold shower. 8/10. (05.01.2020)

So much of a different movie than I'm used to seeing in the cinema that it made my head spin a little. However, that uniqueness is at the same time so likable that I forgive the over-the-top humor in the scenes where it wasn't particularly necessary. Just a moment later, a nearly brilliantly timed gag might come, or Taika Waititi might unexpectedly deliver a punch below the belt, for which a viewer in the right emotional state will still thank him. (06.02.2020)

Taika Waititi is a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on - assuming you appreciate his somewhat disrespectful humor based on ironic exaggeration and unique type of poetry. His talent and limitations are clearly evident in Jojo Rabbit. The director chooses actors excellently and is able to bring out the maximum from them, especially the child actors, including Roman Griffin Davis. He has a developed sense of exaggeration, absurdity, and situational comedy. The humorous part of the film works much better than the part that aims to move and elicit catharsis. Kachyňa was able to sell tragedy and laughter within one style, while Waititi's transitions between frivolity and seriousness in storytelling seem rushed and sometimes even disruptive. The director is not afraid to use anachronistic musical motifs, allowing you to watch his characters in the midst of World War II accompanied by The Beatles or Bowie. Sam Rockwell is one of the most likable characters who has ever worn a Wehrmacht uniform, and you will likely love his casual captain who traded the front line for a gang of children in Hitler Youth uniforms. The success of Jojo Rabbit lies in its entertainment value, pace, and humor. Nevertheless, international audiences will especially appreciate its ability to deliver clearly articulated moral messages in a pleasant manner. It is typical Hollywood fare, and much tamer and less controversial than Taika Waititi would like. You have probably seen a similar story in slightly different packaging before. Personally, Waititi's portrayal of Hitler did not resonate with me. In my opinion, it was too childish and harmless. However, despite my aforementioned remark, it does not affect my overall impression of 75%. It is a crowd-pleasing film that also appeals to family audiences. It does not require deep historical knowledge from you, and honestly, it is better not to scrutinize Waititi's storytelling style too much, as you may find flaws within it. (31.01.2020)

Great actors in a crazy comedy about Nazi ideology. Written, directed Hitler played by a New Zealander. This unusual child’s view of war is presented unobtrusively and in great style. Heil me, man! (12.02.2020)

An original, witty, socially complex and mostly quite funny to the point of insane war satire that oscillates somewhere between Life is Beautiful and No Man’s Land. Though it borrows almost nothing from either, it feels at times like a mature wine that's been with us for a few years and you just know what you're in for when you watch it. Waititi proves that he can apply his talent for funny scripts not only in big blockbusters from Marvel, but equally in low-budget war comedies. Without a stronger pace or truly unforgettable scenes, but still very positive, with an emphasis on traditional human values. You won’t need to watch it again, but at least once is a must. (17.06.2020)

This movie is unique and I'll be happy to write more about it when I can think of the right words. (25.01.2020)

I admire Waititi and I really wanted to like JoJo Rabbit, and although I’m sincerely happy that it brought him an Oscar for the screenplay, I can’t avoid being disappointed. The film does have strong and excellent moments (the introduction of the characters, the Gestapo inspection and the entire relationship between Johansen and Elsa) and shines with a distinctive “happysad” signature and the wonderfully directed actors, who couldn’t be any more natural, in particular the child protagonists. Unfortunately, there are many scenes and filmmaking decisions that have a degrading effect – I love Waititi’s comedy, but his line with the imaginary Hitler is quite pointless and unoriginal; but this is the smaller problem. For me, the main shortcoming is the imbalance between the communication and the staging; for instance, the funniest part is suddenly cut off by a scene like out of Schindler’s List, which doesn’t fit in a film where the Nazis are funny caricatures. Likewise with the ending, where scenes of death and war are weirdly combined with parodic snippets – and better not talk about how some of the twists are left unresolved (they let two kids live alone in a big house and nobody cares about them?). I get that this is supposed to be the perspective of a little boy and I really enjoyed his development and varied opinions, but that perspective is not coherent and the secondary characters lack the appropriate educational value (with the exception of the mother, who’s dealt with in a pretty arguable way). All that notwithstanding, this is far from a bad film and Taika manages to transmit his simple ideas in an original and funny way. It’s a shame that they didn’t go for a more uncompromising framework and instead resorted to dodgy and kitschy motives that not even Hollywood studio conventions of can justify. 70% (30.01.2022)

Ich schätze die einzelnen Szenen, die mit lustigen Gags gefüllt sind (alles mit Sam Rockwell und Stephen Merchant), aber die Geschichte als Ganzes hat mich ziemlich kalt gelassen. Taika Waititi hat Stil und versteht sich gut auf Humor, aber auf der dramatischen Ebene hat er mich bisher nicht wirklich überzeugt. Andererseits braucht es wirklich meisterhaftes Talent, um die Rolle für Rebel Wilson zu schreiben, damit ihre Unausstehlichkeit zum Wohl der Handlung und des Humors des Films beiträgt. Eine abschließende Bemerkung: Obwohl ich "Heroes" von David Bowie jederzeit und überall hören kann, nach den relativ neuen Filmen "Charlieho malá tajemství" und "Rohy" scheint mir die Verwendung dieses Songs in entscheidenden Szenen eines Films als völliges Klischee. (24.05.2020)

Nach 5 Zimmer Küche Sarg und Thor 3 ist dies meine dritte Begegnung mit Regisseur/Schauspieler Waititi, dessen Handschrift wirklich unverwechselbar und unübersehbar ist - im Guten wie im Schlechten. Glücklicherweise überwiegen im Fall von Jojo Rabbit die Vorteile bei weitem die Nachteile. Ich werde nicht auf die Tatsache eingehen, dass der Film größtenteils auf Englisch ist und Deutsch nur in notorisch bekannten Phrasen vorkommt. Schon der Trailer machte deutlich, dass es sich um eine schwarze Komödie handeln würde, die kein Blatt vor den Mund nimmt - und das hat sich bewahrheitet. Zwar war der schwarze Humor in einigen Momenten etwas deplatziert, aber in den meisten Fällen hat er die gewünschte Wirkung erzielt. Schauspielerisch habe ich fast nichts zu beanstanden - alle haben ihre Rollen überzeugend gespielt, nur Hitler war vielleicht manchmal ein bisschen zu affektiert. Wenn der Zuschauer den unverwechselbaren Humor und das Geschichtsverständnis des Regisseurs akzeptiert, wird er keine Probleme haben, einen Film voller problematischer Schnürsenkel, gehörnter Juden, deutscher Schäferhunde, Metallsammler und vieler anderer skurriler Elemente und Ideen zu genießen, die man sonst nirgendwo zusammen sieht. Die Zugabe war eine deutsche Coverversion von Bowies "Heroes". (23.01.2020)

The idea is original, where both the little clumsy Nazi and the heroic Nazi commander find a place in the viewer’s heart. The surprisingly playful atmosphere portrays the last days of the thousand-year Reich and also showcases the unusual characters, where the quirky, spirited and very sweet mother played by Scarlett Johansson stands out in front. I still felt such a cozy closeness from the movie, until I found out it was set in the Czech Republic (my home country). (23.03.2023)

Hier sind die Macher und ich stark aneinander vorbeigedriftet. Ich denke, dass Amerikaner, Australier, Neuseeländer und andere aufhören sollten, Pseudosatiren auf den Zweiten Weltkrieg zu drehen. Gibt es denn 2019 bzw. 2020 keine anderen Sujets für eine Satire? Ich sehe den Film von Anfang bis Ende als erschütternd und einen einzigen Stern gebe ich für den hervorragenden Sam Rockwell und die nicht minder genaue Scarlett Johansson. Die tschechische Spur ist schön, aber das war dann auch schon alles. (05.04.2020)

I have a problem with this type of films. I don't understand the need to combine drama with comedy when it’s neither of the two in the end. I would appreciate either of them on their own: I was moved by the thought-provoking drama, and I was amused by the comedic scenes (except for the weird crappy Hitler), but the fusion didn't really work out. Anyway, I have to highlight the acting performances of Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell and Adolf Hitler (as himself) and the idea with the German Shepherds. P.S. It didn't feel quite right without the German language. (26.02.2020)

Jojo Rabbit's exposition is explosive and abounds with fantastic timing of the individual gags and perfect exploitation of all the supporting characters (one example that speaks for all of them is the seemingly brooding and uninvolved Rebel Wilson, who is, of course, incredibly funny). It's a shame, therefore, that the narrative pace slows down too much after the return from the Nazi youth camp, resulting in a not inconsiderable impression of brevity and episodicity. Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell's performances are at the very limits of their acting capabilities and are clearly the best thing Taika Waititi has to offer. The whole storyline about discovering the Jewish girl certainly has its moments, but for this film to reflect such a powerful theme in any profound way feels too childish and underdeveloped. Purely in terms of form and comedy, though, it's still pretty original. 70% (07.07.2020)

Celebrated New Zealand filmmaker, Taika Waititi, has made a sort of satirical war drama, frequently bordering on the politically incorrect, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Although this movie is madness of the highest caliber, there are also very tender and touching moments. I would also like to mention that the film has a great cast. I was especially impressed by Roman Griffin Davis, who rocked as the main child protagonist. I was also very impressed by Sam Rockwell, who showed himself to be a Nazi in his own humanist way. The icing on the cake, however, was the imaginary Hitler played by the director himself. (80%) (06.06.2022)