Sangre y oro

Una película que sabe lo que hace con cada escena, personaje, momento humorístico, coreografía de pelea o giro inesperado. Y a pesar de la mezcla de un tema serio con una abstracción cómica, no cae en la baratura o en la exageración ni por un segundo. El guion es tres veces más sofisticado que el de Sisu y la dirección es de buen gusto y fresca como en pocas películas sin grandes nombres de actuación. (23.06.2023)

If these events hadn't unfolded in Europe just after World War II, it would have easily passed for a classic Western. The creators fully acknowledged this, which I appreciated, but my enjoyment was marred by the occasional Western-style music. Was it included for viewers who might not get it? I find this really annoying. However, the opening song, "Auf Wiedersehen," was a standout moment for me as it perfectly complemented the story. It's a shame that the rest of the soundtrack didn't follow suit. Despite its straightforwardness, I found the story engaging; there was no need to overcomplicate things, considering it was meant to be a relaxing watch. However, as the narrative progressed, the overly simplistic approach began to wear thin on me. Additionally, I grew weary of the constant caricatures of SS members. The true horror of their actions didn't lie solely in their insane behavior or incomplete faces; it stemmed from the realization that seemingly ordinary individuals could transform into heartless monsters in the blink of an eye. And these tendencies didn't vanish with the war's end; they persist across all nations, awaiting the right circumstances to emerge. That's why war crimes are an unfortunate reality of every conflict. / Lesson learned: Movies open up new possibilities; even a panzerfaust can have a high-explosive head. (29.10.2023)

Netflix delivers an unexpected surprise with Nazis from Germany. Blood & Gold, you could say, is a little sibling to the recent Sisu. Here too we have a treasure the Nazis crave and a likeable protagonist who takes them on. The only difference is that while Sisu introduced a near immortal hero in God mode, here they rely more on realism and authenticity. There is less gore, but I'm happy with both versions. Visually, Blood & Gold is on a decent level, it has a nice Western feel and you can feel Tarantino in places. At times there’s black humour and the characters are very good. Apart from the likeable protagonist, the Nazis are also good, especially the one-eyed general or the bastard with a bandage around his head, he stole most of the scenes for himself and entertained me. The action scenes are well executed and realistic. I was surprised by the contact fights, which are dynamic, rough, have great camerawork, and the Nazi fights are simply a joy to see. The shootouts are also nicely dynamic, with good sound and realistic, and there are plenty of them. In short, an enjoyable and unexpected genre one-off that will please fans of action, westerns and war movies. 7/10. (31.05.2023)