In the time of Counter-Reformation, a miller and his son come under investigation by a priest of the Inquisition, when rumors spread that their prosperity comes from working with the Devil.
The Devil's Trap is a film directed by František Vlá?il, based on a novel by Alfréd Technik, adapted by František A. Dvorák and Miloš Kratochvíl. It was the first of three historical dramas that Vlá?il made during the Czech New Wave (technically he isn't really a part of the New Wave, however these films were made during the same era of artistic freedom), preceding his more well known Marketa Lazarová (1967) and Valley of the Bees (1968).
Set in the late 16th Century during the Catholic Reformation, in the Moravian Karst, situated in what is now the Eastern Czech Republic, it tells the tale of a miller (Vítezslav Vejrazka), and his son Jan (Vít Olmer), who come under suspicion and are investigated by a Jesuit priest of the Inquisition (Miroslav Macháchek), when rumors of witchcraft are spread by the local regent (Cestmír Randa), who is jealous of the miller's prosperity and degree of respect among the local populace.
As expected from Vlá?il, this film is a stunning experience all the way through. From the opening shot, an ominous manipulation of perspective with a close up of a mangled figure of Christ dominating the foreground against a tiny figure in black walking along the horizon, to the breathtaking confrontational finale inside the vast stalactite filled Karst caverns, it is a wonderful display of visual mastery.
Maybe not quite as impressive as Marketa Lazarová, but still full of astonishing imagery. As seen from unique angles and distinct points of view which highlight the director's remarkable sense of awareness of framing, motion, and positioning on the emotional and dramatic tone of the scene. The most memorable being a repeated shot where the camera is suspended and launched with speed through the air towards the miller's door.
The story here is a simple one and I would say more accessible than his later works. With a conventional structure emphasized as much by its plot and characters, than by its expressionistic cinematography or authentic historical detail. The events play out without much surprise, and there is a strong underlying, almost supernatural, mysterious aspect that is left unresolved, in fact barely explored, which is slightly disappointing, but only because it's so fascinating that I wish there was more.
Acting is great all around. Particularly the villains: Miroslav Macháchek as the priest, casting a sinister and imposing shadow wherever he goes, and Cestmír Randa as the weasel like regent behind all the persecution. While Vít Olmer brings a charismatic leading man presence in his role as the miller's son Jan, in love with the lovely orphan girl Martina (Karla Chadimová), who becomes a dangerous object of rivalry between Jan and other young men of the village.
The film also features the evocative music of Zden?k Liška (perhaps the most prolific composer of the Czech New Wave). In this his second of eleven collaborations with Vlá?il, his compositions are used sparingly, but to great effect, complimenting but never overpowering a scene. The best example of which can be heard in an amazingly shot celebration and dance sequence at the end of the second act.
The Devil's Trap might not be a masterpiece, but it is still a strong effort, with a fascinating straightforward story and a glorious historical setting captured beautifully by Vlá?il's unmistakable visual prowess. A fine work that would also be the perfect starter plate to prepare yourself for the challenging feast of Marketa Lazarová or The Valley of the Bees. It even has an easy to digest running time. It's therefore puzzling why this gem remains largely overlooked and ignored.
期待过高我的问题，当然杨紫琼早就值得有一部电影成为一代华人传奇女星。但是这部里面融合了太多元素(很多个人觉得没必要的花哨点）+东亚家庭文化+理解的爱拯救世界这个套路确实不是我的菜了。
本质就是离不开母上的妈宝女(没有贬义)
和Turning Red的内核好像，只不过这部的主角是妈妈。东亚女性如何摆脱桎梏做自己真是个永恒的问题，即使想象力如此天马行空，最终好像也只能说说服自己回到原来的社会结构里。略遗憾。
引经据典，信手拈来，一次类型片的大杂烩，影迷梗天花乱坠，香港电影（尤其是动作设计）或成为最大的养料，作为一个曾经的香港影迷真的会感动。多元宇宙，荒芜世界，颓废人生，唯爱可cure。👩🏻👧🏻👨🏻👁👩🏻❤️👩🏼👨👩👧
最后母女对峙那段太对味了，问题并不会像大多数电影里那样，开诚布公半分钟之后就可以流着泪和解；而是在得到一直以来想要的东西之后，依然如鲠在喉，依然心有重负，无法用言语表达出来，眼泪也难以消解。结局还是落在爱上，可是哪里有那么多爱啊？
最后母女对峙那段太对味了，问题并不会像大多数电影里那样，开诚布公半分钟之后就可以流着泪和解；而是在得到一直以来想要的东西之后，依然如鲠在喉，依然心有重负，无法用言语表达出来，眼泪也难以消解。结局还是落在爱上，可是哪里有那么多爱啊？
/chy/这到底是个什么乱七八糟的元素凑成的一锅烂炖，实则就是拿一些所谓媒体关心的边缘话题开刀，哗众取宠。更像是那些脑袋空空的富二代或幼稚的华人留学生会在电影院里看的泪流满面的作品（前者不会哭，在他们觉得合适的点或者见到彩蛋的时候会卖弄一下自己贫瘠的各方面知识来暴露自己的无知，更让人难受的是他们还觉得自己很了不起）他们的父母会对他们说孩子世界是你的，走向世界吧（是这样走的：自封为人上人，走到哪个地方，路口或者商店，都要锋芒毕露高人一等，就算根本没有锋芒也要强行制造来满足自己那脆弱的虚荣心，无比幼稚），而他们竟然相信了，这太让人发笑了
4.0。1.又是内地互联网网红片，又被过誉。2.交代平行宇宙等一系列设定还算有趣，越往后越说教越偏商业类型片。3.致敬成龙功夫喜剧、《2001太空漫游》等太多影片，两段平行宇宙里石头的对白堪称想象力巅峰。4.开篇杨紫琼同一时间疲于处理大量的信息流，像极最近几年我自己的生活状态，零散和扁平化取代深度思考和专注度，久而久之彻底被压缩成碌碌无为的庸常，与其说家庭、女儿、爱人和解，不如先同自己和解。5.挥舞大长JB打架、利物肛插也算是恶趣味满满。
很强烈的风格，小命题拍出来浩瀚无垠的感觉，女儿的演技真的好喜欢，压迫感十足啊，这可比隔壁蜘蛛侠的平行宇宙好看多了
起码把美军当成真正的人来写，把朝鲜的寓意化作孩童的善意，就已经胜过其他了
很疯狂很嗨，也很残酷很温暖，我们终于可以找到一个理由去忍受这操蛋的生活了，因为拯救世界的重任已经交给另一个平行宇宙的我了，而且还存在一个love u in every universe的人，我们努力生活的意义就是等待他们出现。
虽然我理解导演大概想表达的是什么，分身和自我，前世和现在之类的，但是这个“新奇”的表述方式真的是一团乱麻，而且手指那部分让人很不适……
怎么华裔拍来拍去都是这种tiger mother和子女和原生家庭和解的片子………都说有想象力，我怎么觉得反而是想象力的匮乏…
没想到这么稀碎也能是一部电影，我的最高评价也只能是有佳句无佳章了，虽然还蛮喜欢花样年华风格的段落，以及认可一切无用是为了让我们更好受。
我很想祝福亚裔在好莱坞的进步，但这个“进步”的代价是牺牲电影的价值。如果你把一下午刷过的抖音拍成一部电影，那你就得到这部正如其名的电影：吵闹，拥挤，冗长，没有任何情感，没有任何危机，因为你自己都说了“nothing matters”，观众为什么要在意？只有无数个几秒的小聪明、致敬，和说这么多等于什么也没说的空虚。
这电影很绝，绝在用了几乎所有我对影视创作最讨厌的元素，集结拍成了这样一部混乱（自说为天马行空）的电影。电影从头到尾用了无数人物平行宇宙中的人脸特写剪辑成一堆，急速跳越企图做到瞬息全宇宙的概念，却不好好沉下心讲好任何一个宇宙里的故事。男主选角失败，插菊花大战、头顶干脆面大战，以及les情侣之间变成柔软的香肠双手，用脚弹琴等令人看得坐如针毡，最后来了两块石头，对白又苍白无力，看看《红楼梦》中的石头记，曹雪芹早在两百多年前就抒写得更富有哲理和想象力了。如果要小成本和比创意，不如从头到尾就拍那个山崖上的两块石头，从头到尾出字幕对白，讲好故事讲好人生大道理，倒也是一种新意。这样一部讲述家庭和母女关系的奇幻片，它本可把该讲的故事讲感动的，比如外公抓住gf的手用粤语说“女朋友”时多美好啊！
最厉害的地方莫过于正真做到了天马行空，各种可能宇宙之间的来回切换看着过瘾。至于这让人喘不过气来的生活，无奈，想要逃跑，何尝不想想要与自己，与世界和解呢，但真的太难了
最后半小时，在亲情关系应该如何处理上，形成了多重反转，不论是尊重孩子的空间，放孩子走，还是要守着孩子，最终还是以爱为原则出发，却又不对孩子造成爱的绑架。
Why do you look so stupid?
最耐人寻味的可能是：类似《青春变形记》，为什么亚裔文艺作品至今都只能采用这种“天马行空”的荒诞手法才能解决母女（代际）冲突问题？面对亚裔式的家庭矛盾，这一通嬉笑怒骂、轰轰烈烈的癫狂，其实是要掩饰实质上的虚弱无力、束手无策和绝望无解吧。
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