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Gangster Ka

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Gangster Ka
Movie Poster
Directed byJan Pachl
Written byJaroslav Kmenta
Jan Pachl
Produced byAdam Dvořák
StarringHynek Čermák
Edited byAdam Dvořák
Music byTadeáš Věrčák
Distributed byBioscop
Release dates
  • September 10, 2015 (2015-09-10) (Czech Republic)
(part 1)
  • November 26, 2015 (2015-11-26) (Czech Republic)
(part 2)
Running time
100 Minutes (part 1)
100 Minutes (part 2)
CountryCzech Republic
LanguageCzech
Budget50 Million CZK[1]
Box office$815,687 (part 1)
$527,410 (part 2)[2]

Gangster Ka is a 2015 Czech action thriller.[3] It stars Hynek Čermák as Radim Kraviec, a fictionalised version of Radovan Krejčíř. It was directed by Jan Pachl. The film is divided into two parts. Part one premiered on September 10th, 2015, while the second part (known as Gangster Ka: African) premiered on November 26th, 2015. The film is based on the novel Padrino Krejčíř by Jaroslav Kmenta. Kmenta's works previously served as a basis for a similar film, Story of a Godfather.[4]

The film draws inspiration in political controversies of Czech politics. One of the characters is a corrupt politician, Milan Klein, who becomes Prime Minister. He is inspired by Stanislav Gross.[5]

Cast and characters

  • Hynek Čermák as Radim Kraviec alias "Káčko" - The eponymous Gangster Ka and the protagonist of the film. He leads a gang of Albanian criminals and gains influence in politics. Čermák described him as "partial psychopath and partial coward." He is inspired by Radovan Krejčíř[6]
  • Vlastina Svátková as Sandra - Káčko's wife. She is a naive woman who falls in loved with Radim Kraviec and marries him. She doesn't leave him even after he abuses her because she wants to keep their family and is dependent on Káčko.[7]
  • Predrag Bjelac as Dardan Cirkel, the Albanian - Albanian criminal who is a Káčko's close associate and friend. He is more sympathetic than Káčko and sometimes tries to warn him that he went too far.[8]
  • Filip Čapka as Jan Lánský - A principled policeman who investigates Káčko and tries to get him arrested. He serves as the main antagonist of the film. Káčko tries to bribe him and sends him 3 million crowns, which Lánský rejects.[9]
  • Alexej Pyško as Sivák - A mobster and Milota's right hand and eventual successor. He becomes associated with Káčko.
  • Jaromír Hanzlík as Kraviec senior - Káčko's father and honest man who is disappointed in what has Káčko become.
  • Miroslav Etzler as Vratislav Milota - A mobster inspired by František Mrázek.
  • Tomáš Jeřábek as Milan Klein - A corrupt politician who becomes Prime Minister thanks to Káčko. He later tries to get rid of Káčko. He is inspired by Stanislav Gross.
  • Zdeněk Žák as Hakl - An old policeman who helps Lánský.
  • Ján Lašák as Polanecký - A civic attorney who defends Kraviec at court.
  • Jan Révai as Budy - Káčko's associate who betrays him.
  • Brian Caspe as John Greengrass - South African criminal associated with Balbeek. He befriends Káčko and helps him in South Africa. He becomes Káčko's associate.
  • Bob Beaudreault as Cyril Balbeek alias Uncle Cyril - South African mob boss
  • Peter Hosking as Dr. Martier - Seychellois politician who has ties to Káčko.

Plot

The first part of the film follows Káčko during his criminal career in the Czech Republic. Káčko is a gangster in Ostrava who is known for having his rivals shot in the leg rather than killing them. He decides that Ostrava is too small for him and departs to Prague. The Prague criminal world is dominated by Milota and Sivák. Káčko starts a business with them and steals them 260 million crowns. Milota decides not to take revenge yet. Káčko gains more influence and earns millions of crowns during various frauds and plans to overtake the Čepro company, which owns all fuel resources in the country. This plan fails when he is betrayed by one of his associates. Káčko is arrested and taken in custody awaiting trial. Milota and Sivák decide to get revenge and try to steal money from Káčko's accounts. This fails because Káčko had given the pin codes to his father and account numbers to his pregnant wife Sandra. Káčko's father dies during torture but doesn't give those codes. Sandra who was abducted by Sivák is then released but loses the baby as a result of the abduction. Káčko is released from custody because of the murder of an investigator, and the work of his lawyer. He leaves the prison as a different person and decides to get revenge on Milota. Káčko decides to spare Sivák because he was just obeying Milota's orders. Káčko gives Sivák a list of people he is supposed to murder. Sivák kills people on the list one by one, and gains the nickname "Butcher". Klein meanwhile tries to negotiate more money from Káčko. Káčko slaps Klien and threatens to destroy him if he doesn't obey him. Klein is scared and asks Milota for help. Milota has materials that can be used for evidence of Káčko's crimes. He gives the material to Lánský, an investigator, who wants to get Káčko behind bars. Police raids Káčko's mansion and arrest him but Káčko escapes when he asks to use the toilet. Káčko then flees from the Czech Republic. Milota is murdered, meanwhile, on Klein's orders.

African

Káčko escapes to Seychelles where he drinks and lies in the sunshine. Meanwhile, Sivák takes over Milota's business and starts to work with Klein. Klein wants to get Káčko back to the Czech Republic because Káčko has evidence that can compromise Klein. Lánský starts to investigate Klein and Lánský's wife is killed in a murder attempt (ordered by Klein),which devastates him. Lánský reopens his investigation of Káčko. Káčko during this time "sobered up" and made money on selling imported Toilet Paper in Seychelles. Káčko becomes influential in Seychellois politics and helps local politician Dr. Martier during his campaign, with hope of getting Seychellois citizenship. Lánský organizes another plan to take down Káčko and sends agents after him. Agents are later revealed and Káčko angrily reveals his association with Klein to the media which leads to the fall of government. Káčko then moves to South Africa because his friend Darda starts to work with Lánský. Káčko gains a fugitive status in South Africa and creates connections in South African crime world. He forms a business the partnership with local mob boss Uncle Cyril. Káčko later murders Cyril and takes over his place. Káčko becomes the most powerful mobster in South Africa but starts to have problem with the public and is threatened by possible loss of his fugitive status which would lead to his extradition to the Czech Republic. Káčko decides to sell drugs, against his principles. His plan to sell drugs in Australia fail when his associate John Greengrass betrays him and drugs are stolen by Pakistani mafia. Káčko then leads group of criminals in the Pakistani quarter with intention to get drugs back. It results in shootout and Dardan is shot and killed which strikes Káčko. Káčko is arrested when Lánský gets a map that marks graves of Kraviec's victims. Lánský tells Kraviec during the investigation that Kraviec's family returned to the Czech Republic but he can't assure their safety against Sivák. Kraviec has Sivák killed to protect his son and wife. The film concludes with Kraviec facing trial for his crimes.

Reception

The first part has received mostly positive reviews. Its aggregated score is 64% from critical reviews according to Kinobox.[10] Věra Míšková called Gangster Ka an average film but praised the performances of Čermák and Bjelac. Míšková criticized the film for being too complex and trying to show too much.[11] Mirka Spáčilová praised the characters of Káčko and Dardan. She also praised the thrill and final part of film. She criticized the film for too many explanation parts and for the character of Klein.[12]

Slovak server Film Kult voted Gangster Ka 10th best Czech-Slovak film of t2010-2015 period.[3]

African

The second part was also met with positive reviews. Its aggregated score is 71%.[13] Věra Míšková rated the second part more positively than the first. She called it more entertaining. She praised the addition of humor and thrill. Míšková also noted the performances of actors especially Čermák and Bjelac.[14] Spáčilová praised the characters of Káčko and Dardan even though she criticized their inner commentaries. She also praised Čermák's performance in Káčko's role.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Film Gangster Ka: 50 milionů stačilo k tomu natočit film o Krejčířovi!". Expres.cz. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  2. ^ "2015 Czech Republic Yearly Box Office Results". www.boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  3. ^ a b "10 najlepších českých a slovenských filmov za posledných 5 rokov". Film Kult (in Czech). Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. ^ "Kvůli němu padl Gross či Lánský. A Gangster Ka? Není to autobiografie Krejčíře. Je to příběh gangstera, který tu opravdu řádil, říká Kmenta | EuroZprávy.cz". EuroZprávy.cz. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Filmový hit Gangster Ka odtajnil nejen mafiánské praktiky, ale i hlavní postavy ze života Radovana Krejčíře. Kdo hrál koho?". Extra.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Rozhovory s herci: Hynek Čermák (Radim Kraviec) — Gangster Ka — Česká televize". Česká televize. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Rozhovory s herci: Vlastina Svátková (Sandra) — Gangster Ka — Česká televize". Česká televize. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Rozhovory s herci: Predrag Bjelac (Dardan) — Gangster Ka — Česká televize". Česká televize. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Rozhovory s herci: Filip Čapka (Lánský) — Gangster Ka — Česká televize". Česká televize. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  10. ^ kinobox.cz, team at. "Gangster Ka". Kinobox.cz. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  11. ^ Míšková, Věra. "RECENZE: Gangster Ka. Objednal si český premiér vraždu?". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  12. ^ Spáčilová, Mirka (9 September 2015). "RECENZE: Případ Krejčíř je zbytečná clona, Gangster Ka má vlastní sílu". iDNES.cz. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  13. ^ kinobox.cz, team at. "Gangster Ka: Afričan". Kinobox.cz. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  14. ^ Míšková, Věra. "RECENZE: Zábavný zrod nemilosrdného gaunera. Na film Gangster Ka: Afričan lze jít i bez znalosti jedničky". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  15. ^ Spáčilová, Mirka (22 November 2015). "RECENZE: V Afričanovi zvýší Gangster Ka napětí". iDNES.cz. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
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