Kontroll (2003)

Kontroll is a bizarre film. I made the choice to watch the movie after having been acquainted with its maker’s other works like “Vacancy” and “Predators”. I was disappointed beyond expectations after having been put through a mess of plot holes, poor script and too much void. Symbolic in its settings, Kontroll tells the story of ticket inspectors and their mysterious underground where they inhabit.
Everybody hated the ticket checker. The Checker’s life is a miserable one as he is hated by the commuters of subway for being the “pain in the ass”. The film in its half sketches the lives of these wretched one as they go on with their professional lives and the things they have to go through. The Protagonist doesn’t even leave the underground. The Underground is his abode. The Plot unfolds as series of mysterious suicides occur at the tracks in succession. The Authorities are concerned that this might hamper the reputation of the underground and wants the ticket checkers to be more vigilant. Meanwhile the hero develops certain emotions for the girl in the bear suit who happens to be the daughter of the engine driver he is acquainted with. At the end the hero happens to witness a hooded figure that pushes a punk the hero has been chasing onto the tracks. Everybody suspects the Hero as the serial killer and he quits his job. But he is beaten by the rival group of ticket checkers and is rescued by the engine driver who leaves him on the station bench. When he wakes up a party is going on the Metro station and stumbles upon the real killer. They bet into a fight and the hero starts run into the tunnel , Rail running as previously shown in the movie ,followed by the killer ,and he barely makes it to the next station, avoiding the oncoming train whereas the killer is presumably killed by it. The Hero finally decides to leave the station with the Engine driver’s girl and takes the elevator up.
The movie is entertaining but it sinks in its own mess. It’s funny and thrilling, but it does not tie up well at the end. The BGM is good with its electro sound and the cinematography, which is the reason that I kept on watching. The whole thing is symbolic in the sense that the Underground is the world and the world up is salvation. There isn’t much explanation given in the movie like why the protagonist doesn’t leave the station or who or what the killer is. The Heroes Bunch gets beat up intermittently and they all walk around with their wounds as If there is a shortage of hospitals in Hungary. The Beginning was promising, the middle was funny and confusing and the end was disappointing. Much of the characters are cartoonish with no sense or feelings, they make us feel the whole thing was a build up to nothing. The Climax leaves so many questions but some movies are like that, you don’t get the answers coz that’s not the point.