Dark Blue World (Tmavomodrý svet) (2001)

62% of critics liked it
(58 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(3,547 ratings)

The friendship of two men is tested by war, political upheaval, and romantic rivalry in this drama from Czech filmmaker Jan Sverak, whose Kolya became an international success. Lt. Franta Slama (Ondrej Vetchy) is a top pilot in the Czech Air Force who is assigned to train a promising young flier,… More The friendship of two men is tested by war, political upheaval, and romantic rivalry in this drama from Czech filmmaker Jan Sverak, whose Kolya became an international success. Lt. Franta Slama (Ondrej Vetchy) is a top pilot in the Czech Air Force who is assigned to train a promising young flier, Karel Vojtisek (Krystof Hadek). Franta and Karel both share a great enthusiasm for the thrill of blazing across the sky, and they become fast friends; however, when Nazi Germany invades Czechoslovakia, Franta and Karel chafe under the authority of their new leaders, and they escape to England, where they join other Czech exiles in the R.A.F. While flying a mission over England, Karel crash lands and happens upon the farmhouse of Susan (Tara Fitzgerald), a young woman whose husband is in the Navy. Karel soon falls head over heels for Susan, but while they enjoy a brief fling, in time Susan decides she prefers the company of the older and more worldly Franta. As Franta and Karel struggle to maintain their friendship despite their romantic rivalry, the war finally comes to a close, and the Czechs return home. Trmavomodry Svet, released in English-speaking territories as Dark Blue World, also features Anna Massey and Charles Dance. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 55 min.
Directed By: Jan Sverák
Written By: Zdenek Sverák
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Dec 28, 2001 Wide
On DVD: May 28, 2002
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
It's a fitting requiem for heroes forgotten.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
Looks like the Eastern European version of director Michael Bay's popcorn epic from last summer.
, Globe and Mail
Dark Blue World almost feels like three scripts rolled into one.
Jay Carr, Boston Globe
A bittersweet world, and it's frankly one to which we've been before, but seldom do we see it rendered with such exquisite, if pained, craftsmanship.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
More bleak and certainly more hushed than the relatively bombastic Pearl Harbor, but they both tell a war-movie plot staple in approximately the same way.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Pearl Harbor without the product placements, without the Hollywood bombast, and certainly without the $100-million-plus budget.
Jeffrey Bruner, Des Moines Register
A complex story with a number of twists, it possesses a fatalism uncommon in American films.
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
For all the reservations about the film itself, luckily the DVD is here to help with its features.
Ian Waldron-Mantgani, UK Critic
The love triangle seems lifted out of "Pearl Harbor", and if there's a war movie from which you don't want to take inspiration, it's that one.
Simon Wardell, BBC
Ondrej Vetchý is impressive as the stoic Franta.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Randy T

Compelling and well crafted movie that tells the little-known true story of heroic pilots for whom WWII never really ended. Krystof Hádek is outstanding, I continue to be impressed with the quality of Czech actors and films.
Joseph E

Well unfortunately for the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor", I think I have found a film that beat it in being more engaging and more dramatic, despite a less-popcorn movie feel, and the non-100 million dollar budget! Dark Blue World, or (Tmavomodry svet), isn't going to win… More
Well unfortunately for the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor", I think I have found a film that beat it in being more engaging and more dramatic, despite a less-popcorn movie feel, and the non-100 million dollar budget! Dark Blue World, or (Tmavomodry svet), isn't going to win you with high priced action scenes and effects, but it will get you with a lucid story line, that is drenched in heartfelt dialouge and makes you feel pride. So what about the acting? Well of course this film is forgien and includes both Czech and English dialouge, but you can still really feel that they know what they are doing on screen and are just as good as our Hollywood counterparts, and maybe , especcialy in this film, maybe even better then some of them. The score was rather impressive , although it wasn't as good I expected, but rather still as good as I was hoping. It really meshed well in the right action scenes, mellowing out when it was a really good time for it to slow down. Yes, somehow this film kept me thouroghly enganged throughout, and I rather found this film as a little gem for my collection. I am not sure why, but this film is a film in which you never hear of it, but when you do, you can't stop not hearing about it, from yourself!
The S

A Czech film about Czech fighter pilots flying for the R.A.F in world war two, the immediate build up and the aftermath. I found it very interesting to see this inspiring and also tragic tale from a Czech perspective. Fans of war films will obviously like it but there's a great… More
A Czech film about Czech fighter pilots flying for the R.A.F in world war two, the immediate build up and the aftermath. I found it very interesting to see this inspiring and also tragic tale from a Czech perspective. Fans of war films will obviously like it but there's a great deal here of a human and historical nature to fulfil a wider appeal too.