THE STORY – In occupied Poland in 1943, German official Martin Wolff is sent to a remote village to investigate the disappearance of a Jewish lawyer. His arrival unsettles the fragile order between scarred villagers, corrupt collaborators, and Nazi authorities, unearthing a web of betrayal and greed tied to whispers of the lawyer’s hidden fortune. Yet as the village’s darkest truths come to light, Wolff’s search may be hiding more than it reveals.
THE CAST – Itay Tiran, Robert Więckiewicz, Joanna Kulig, Jan Bülow, Aleksander Yatsentyuk, Piotr Trojan
Borys Otawa, Magdalena Różczka, and Jacek Beler
THE TEAM – Jan Holoubek (Director) & Aleksandra Takuska (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes
On the surface, “Wild Wild West,” the latest film by Jan Holoubek, promises to be one of the more challenging films slotted in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Holoubek, whose work has never shied away from the complexities of human nature, once again explores these themes in the vein of a World War II period piece that draws on a slew of other genres, including westerns and film noir. It’s a gamble that, for the most part, pays off, even if “Wild Wild West” ultimately crumbles apart due to its insistence on keeping audiences on the other side of its mystery, leaving the film feeling like it’s stalling.
Viewers are put in the shoes of Itay Tiran’s Martin Wolff, a German official whose unplanned arrival in occupied Poland causes a stir among the various personalities trying to survive in the Warsaw Ghetto. The Germans are desperate, as insurmountable losses at Stalingrad put them in a precarious position. As the Third Reich’s extermination of the Jewish people reaches an all-time high, the murmurs of an uprising only grow stronger by the day, especially with the rumor that a stockpile of gold once overseen by the lawyer Jan Kowalski is hidden somewhere in the town. Wolff’s search for this gold leads him down a path with corrupt locals, citizens just trying to get by, and distrustful Nazi officers, which makes him question everyone’s motives, including himself, if he is to complete this task.
Holoubek is certainly patient, with most of the first half of “Wild Wild East” playing like a traditional detective story, where audiences watch Wolff wander through the war-torn village, asking around for Kowalski’s whereabouts. The unsettling atmosphere is perhaps the most impressive aspect of Holobek’s direction. Like the viewers, Wolff, despite his assumed position of power, is a fish out of water. He stumbles through uncharted territory where everyone is contentious toward his presence (deservedly so), as his nation has eviscerated this once-beautiful area. Bartek Kaczmarek’s cinematography, especially the cool tones of the chilly color grading, helps build this feeling, and Marek Warszewski’s production design brings this locale to life.
Yet “Wild Wild East,” despite Holubek’s solid direction, ultimately rests on Aleksandra Takuska’s screenplay, which purposely waters down Wolff as a character to preserve the mystery of the case he’s trying to solve. The film, while intriguing, never pulls you into the investigation beyond Wolff’s simplistic goal. The writing, at least initially, does Tiran no favors, presenting Wolff as a bland blanket of emotion, shown mainly as a myopic machine focused on finishing his job. Imagine Hans Landa but with no personality, which for that character was a mask for the sinister nature bubbling underneath. Tiran gets to bring a mask of his own that slowly chips away the longer “Wild Wild East” continues, and that’s where the film finally finds its footing.
The audience, like Holoubek, is merely biding time for an inevitable deviation, which, while adding more complexity to the narrative, feels a bit too late in trying to reel back the attention of those already checked out. It does help implement more of the genre elements Holoubek is pulling from, while letting Tiran really swing for the fences. Without a doubt, Tiran’s performance elevates the script and is why the narrative pivot is mostly successful. He’s the reason to watch the film, as audiences coming in with their preconceived notions of the character are ultimately thrown on their back foot, where Tiran swoops in to deliver a far more multifaceted performance than one would expect. It only surges to a finale that, while maybe not completely earned, still packs an emotional wallop that will leave somewhat of an impact.
It’s just a shame that “Wild Wild East” wasn’t more confident in its premise, having to hide behind what is more of a gimmicky revelation to bail out how sluggish it can feel at times throughout its first hour. When Takuska’s script gives Holoubek more to work with, he can pull out more humor and thrills, including a well-executed shootout in a cemetery; it’s a solid time to be had. Tiran does what he can to add another layer to “Wild Wild East,” but it merely resides on a level that isn’t worthy of what it promises to audiences.
