Kóblic (2016) Poster

(2016)

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6/10
A well crafted thriller drama!!!
akb00710 March 2017
Captain Tomas Koblic is a Navy pilot who runs away from an air force before his retirement. Now, With the help of a friend Koblic hides in a small town. The sheriff of that town was not very fond of Koblic and starts to investigate about his past. The script looks interesting, but it takes time to establish the main reason behind all this. Darin is one of the finest actors of the Argentine film industry who can handle any type of roles and Koblic's character was safe in his hands. The casting plays a key role in the movie and on the technical side, it has an efficient art direction. Overall, it's a well crafted thriller drama and I really enjoyed it.
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7/10
Feels like something is missing, but still good.
jamesjchapman-3790319 July 2021
I felt like I wanted something more from this movie. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what. I think that it's set entirely in a sleepy little country town might not have helped in terms of it being a bit 'thin on the ground.'

The cast performances are quite enjoyable. Especially the main characters. We've got a good guy who's new in town... or what we hope deep down is a good guy with a dark past who 'had to do what he had to do' during bad times. We've got a bad guy; a dodgy local cop who's been around far too long and enough to have his bent fingers in every piece of pie and the pockets of those he does favors for. Sandwiched in between is a stunningly beautiful but bored-stiff young lady who should have left town years ago, but didn't.

The backdrop of the story touches on the factual murders of possibly thousands of political opponents of a repressive regime in Argentina. Horrifically, a significant number were thrown to their deaths over the Pacific Ocean from a great altitude.

The movie is definitely worth a look. It has its own unique style in terms of direction and wherever it might be lacking, it makes up for with interesting (if not dodgy) characters plotting and weaving their way around each other.

The ending is worth the wait. You definitely have the sense that the film is building towards some sort of climax and it delivers enough here to warrant the watch. Keep an open mind on it. Without budgetary and or other constraints, maybe more could have been done with it. But I think it deserves a 7 or better as a contemporary effort on a subject that might still be very raw in the aforementioned country.
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6/10
Argentine/Spain co-production stars terrific Ricardo Darin as a captain who flees from a dark past
ma-cortes30 July 2022
Set in 1977, during the days of the Argentinian Dictatorship commanded by General Videla and others . Stars former pilot and captain of the Argentinean Navy, Tomás Kóblic (Ricardo Darin), who during the last Argentine dictatorship, was a participant in "the flights of death" . Argentina's military dictatorship has chosen to throw political prisoners into the sea from Navy aircraft as a new means of execution. Former Navy Captain Tomas Kóblic is the unknowing pilot of one such flight, and upon discovering the gruesome fate of his passengers, he makes a thorny decision when has arrived at the most agonising crossroads in his life . As he disobeys an order and becomes a fugitive in order to survive . He gets away and chooses to hide in a small town in the south of the country, as he leaves his career to hide in Colonia Helen where the only law is a nasty Commissioner (Ismael Martinez). Then his presence will pay attention of the unscrupulous, vicious and violent local sheriff . The marshall don't trust anyway and the new guy in town and Koblic bothers him. Along the way , Koblic falls in love for a young woman (Imma Cuesta) who's mistreated by her abusive husband. Meantime , Kóblic realizing he needs to escape again, but he will not leave without bringing justice.

This exciting film contains tension , thriller , intense drama , and plot twists , including decent suspense with tense sequences especially in its final part , in a unexpected denouement , near the end . A psychological thriller about an upright captain who'll make a hard decision launching him on a journey that is as extraordinary in nature as the orders he was just given ; being surprisingly good and compellingly realized . The original as well as interesting idea is overspread throughout the movie , a man flees from a grim fate , arriving in a remote location where the only law is from a ruthless commissioner , but not totally satisfactory , including conventional pitfalls . Ricardo Darin gives a nice acting as Tomás Kóblic who runs away from the air force due to he did not want to follow wrong orders in the days of the military dictatorship in Argentina. Darin is an excellent leading figure of the most important Argentinian movies . He works since he was a little boy, and has obtained with the years a remarkable evolution from soap opera gallant and tv comedies . As he acted for several years in TV series such as Alta Comedia and Estación Retiro, where he reached popularity as a young leading actor in different soap operas, specially in Alberto Migre's productions. In the 90s, he achieved a great success in the TV comedy "Mi Cuñado" (1993), in which he co-starred with Luis Brandoni. Subsequently he became into an excellent leading figure of the most important Argentinian movies, such as : "El Faro" (1998), "El Mismo Amor La Misma Lluvia" (1999), "Nueve Reinas" (2000), "La Fuga" (2001) and especially known for ¨The secret in your eyes¨ and ¨El Hijo De La Novia¨ . While his contender is very well played by Ismael Martinez as corrupt sheriff Velarde, a criminal in uniform who has ties to the army. While third starring is the atttactive Spanish actress Imma Cuesta .

Evocative and mysterious atmosphere including a colorful cinematography , as it is finely photographed by cameraman Rodrigo Pulpeiro , shot on location in San Antonio de Areco, and Vagues, San Antonio de Areco , Buenos Aires, Argentina. Suspenseful and stirring musical score by Federico Jusid , a expert on dark and unsettling environments. The motion picture was well directed by Sebastián Borensztein . He is a nice craftsman who has made enjoyable films such as Un Cuento Chino , Sin memoria , La suerte está echada , Capitan Koblic , and various TV series . The picture won several Awards and nominations , such as : Málaga Spanish Film Festival 2016 Winner Silver Biznaga Best Supporting Actor : Oscar Martínez , Best Cinematography : Rodrigo Pulpeiro , Nominee Golden Biznaga Best Film : Sebastián Borensztein. Sant Jordi Awards 2017 Nominee Sant Jordi Best Actor in a Foreign Film : Oscar Martínez. Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival 2016 Nominee Grand Newcomer Award Mannheim-Heidelberg International Competition : Sebastián Borensztein and Pampa Films. Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana 2016 Nominee Latinoamerica en Perspectiva: A Medianoche , Best Film : Sebastián Borensztein , Pampa Films and Gloriamundi Producciones.
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6/10
KOBLIC KHAN
MadamWarden20 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
He is an honorable hero fighting out of his weight class against pretty big odds. But he wins, as well as gets the hot young girl for some strange reason. (Mismatched casting 🙄)

A fun little movie with a nice twist.
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7/10
An Interesting Take on Heroes and Villains
amverrier-512258 October 2021
After watching this movie I thought it was an interesting take on what an Argentinian pilot might do after feeling guilty about their actions during the guerra sucia. However, I think that they try to spin Kóblic as being this hero even when he didn't do anything to prevent the deaths of more innocent Argentinians by the hands of the military. However, I do think the movie can be interesting at point and it does have good drama along with some twists and turns. The ending does almost feel like a hero ending, but I think that Kóblic's actions stoop to the levels of the military and he should have taken the high road. Although he was fending for himself at points, and for his life I wouldn't go to the lengths that He did to prove his point.
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7/10
Koblic: A Slow-Burning Thriller with Superb Acting"?
marcelopietrovich18 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Koblic is a movie that falls somewhere between excellence and mediocrity. The plot is rather formulaic, featuring a stranger who is a former officer of the Argentine navy and arrives in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Flashes of his troubled past reveal that the hero's main flaw was to stop obeying the law in order to do what he deemed right. A typical relationship is established with the villain, a dodgy and cunning police officer. A forbidden romantic liaison adds to the recipe. However, despite these familiar plot points, the acting is superb across the board, with Darín (Koblic) and Martinez (the police officer) delivering standout performances. The movie is a slow-burning thriller and drama that elegantly avoids showing some more explicit content without leaving us in the dark.
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10/10
Loved it
eddiemiljko22 August 2019
Good storyline. Some sad parts too. The storyline is fiction but some parts include true things that happened. Just a nice guy trying to do the right thing and other nice people help him out too.
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5/10
Koblick - A Dark Mission That May or May not Be True
krocheav1 September 2018
With a scant script that resembles a simplistic Sergio Leone Spaghetti western - Koblic ambles along in a somewhat predictable fashion. Most characters are thinly sketched in a manipulative hit-on-the-audience way and not always convincing. There's the badder than bad, bad guys, the silent hero with a dark past, and of course, the beautiful young woman who lives with her nasty abusive uncle - she claims she does not want to have sex with him but chooses to sleep in the same bed (sorry, but that's more than a little odd) She then takes one look at the 'good' guy (who's twice her age!) and she's instantly in lust and ready to have sex with this complete stranger -seems in these small country towns no-one cares about getting-to-know-you or such things as aids, etc.

Performances are quite good and while it's not without some interesting dramatic situations - could have been more engaging with better script development. As is, it may have fared better as a 60min TV episode. The movie takes its time in letting us know what's going on via a few stylish but padded out camera shots and at times, one can watch some scenes in double speed --as people walk or ride from one place to another-- and miss little or nothing. Story wise, it seems the Argentinean Govt during the 70s-80s had devised a rather expensive and brutally shocking method to dispose of people who didn't agree with them. Lovers of the tough guy/revenge school i.e: Ventura, Bronson, Eastwood, Neeson, etc, should enjoy this but we've seen much of it before and maybe done a little better.
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8/10
the only way out
misinda27 May 2016
When you are a good guy but your profession, the place you've chosen in society, in this case, Argentina in the 70's and be, unwillingly, part of a dictatorship, you know that by not following orders you'll be forever an outcast. Revenge might be the only way out to clear your guilty thoughts and the ghosts from the past that might come to knock at your door. Justice taken by our own hands seems to be sometimes the only possibility when the Law is not enough. Ricardo Darin, no doubt an excellent actor, is somehow overshadowed by Blanco, an outstanding performer as the "bad" character in an Argentinian province small town. Truly amazing acting,showing how powerfully the "amiguismo",nepotism, which is the most common accepted form of corruption in the world, work in some communities and some countries. Perhaps translation won't help to show this important movie that deals with human rights and human actions.
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1/10
a waste of time
Cinema2kMendoza6 September 2021
Better watch bad boys than this, this movies makes no sense.
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9/10
Powerful and perfectly acted
clementrossignol21 June 2021
Movie is perfectly executed, actors are top notch and scenario is flawless.

The story is perfectly credible on all accounts (unfortunately).

Yes, the love story is foreseeable at the beginning and that was clearly intended by the director.

A must watch.
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4/10
Predictable. Just a testimony of the "Death Flights" and the dictatorship.
spanixtan16 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
1976. Andrés Kóblic, experienced pilot in the Argentinian air forces, is about to retire. But can no longer cope with flying planes used in the "flights of Death", where regime opposers are dropped down to the Atlantic. Kóblic seeks refuge in a small village, helping a friend of his father as a crop duster. We see in his nightmares what has happened. A phone call in a public place is the clue that he local sheriff uses to find out who the unusual foreigner is. Meanwhile, Kóblic and a local woman fall in love and a new danger sprouts: the brutal man who keeps her. Soon a military man shows up and gives Kóblik a new opportunity/ ultimatum. Kóblic puts on his old uniform and after leaving kills the corrupt sheriff. He has also tied the commandos sent to take him back by force. Now Kóblic flies straight into the ocean with his "captives". He jumps before the small airplane reaches the Atlantic; the parachute is supposed to land in a place where his lover waist for him. The psychology of the characters is quite shallow and predictable, without hues: just goodies and baddies.
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8/10
Based on real events
bobwarn-7566815 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I recall a former Aerolineas Argentina captain telling me that during the dictatorship of the generals in Argentina, as an airline safety officer, it was difficult obtaining safety resources from the boss, one of the generals, when said boss had just returned from throwing 'the disappeared' out of the back of a C130 over the South Atlantic.

So this story rings true. The excellent cast, lead by Ricardo Darin, well remembered from the superb Oscar winning 'The Secret in Their Eyes', another movie set in the period of 'the generals', does the story proud. Well done.
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