The pain of the 1990s remains an unhealed wound in the history of Georgia till today, the time when a front opened in Tbilisi and fellow citizens shot each other. As they would have said then, it was a “fratricidal war.” During this period, an entire generation was formed, for whom the street and its “academy” were more valuable than the law or morality. There was complete chaos in the country, where there were both foes and friends who would worry for each other. In this regard, the Georgian philosopher Merab Mamardashvili said, the price of this war is enormous and we cannot get through this phase. And indeed, it took a lot of time and resources to compensate for those losses.
Georgian cinema has explained the events of Tbilisi of this period more than enough, although, for some reason, this topic has become inexhaustible for filmmakers. A film with exactly such a topic and a changed perspective, “Bad People” (2018), was directed by Giorgi Tavartkiladze.
The story tells about one of the squads and its commander, Gia. He needs medicine for his feverish son and for this he goes to one of the hospitals, where he sees a classmate who is in the opposite camp. Nothing else can be said about the content of the film because we can assume that this is another film on this topic, but, despite this, there are features in this film that, one might say, clearly convey the director’s message.
Gia’s character, who is a fighter from Tbilisi, expresses the image of the society that felt that it had to do something for the better future of the country, although it did not have the answer to what exactly. That's why he became a fighter, he thought that a country built on deeds and murder was stronger, that's why he ran after those who were like him.
His boss, Otar, who we get to know after a strange gunshot, has great trust in the main character, which is why he instructs him to "sort out" an old case. A Georgian film director Dito Tsintsadze plays Otar’s character. This is the person who was one of the first to talk about all this with his early film, "On the Edge" (1993). Here appears writer and film director Beso Solomonashvili, who helps Otar develop a strategy. With this iconic cast, the director has clearly shown the image of the generation, of those people who are longing for blood and are just as ordinary people as these two filmmakers.
The acting cast is the main axis of the film. The main character is played exceptionally well by Vakho Chachanidze. His character is dualistic, cruel and humanest the same time, and is shown with particular conviction. Chachanidze's performance evokes empathy and interest, which partially balances the general flaws of the film. Worth noting is also Jano Izoria’s role, who, despite his short time, is impressive. The actors’ professionalism creates a strong foundation for the film, but the weak script cannot fully utilize their capabilities, since the topic is overdone and exhausted in the context that the director shows the audience.
There is no doubt that Giorgi Tavartkiladze's vision is cinematically tasteful and sophisticated. The minimalist shots and authentic setting convey well the atmosphere of Tbilisi at that time, although this technical sophistication often comes at the expense of emotional value. The director’s manner seems to be too focused on visual effect rather than the emotional depths of the characters. As a result, the viewer may feel that the film is less personal and more constructive, which is why there is a feeling that the film is not created to tell a story, but to reveal the author’s skills.
The director tries to reflect the psychological and moral consequences of the war in the film, but the plot lacks details and firmly established lines of character development, which sometimes makes it appear superficial and hasty. Gia’s internal struggles are not fully developed, and it may be difficult for the viewer to fully understand hის motivations. Perhaps it is a bit difficult to convey all this for a short film, but the director’s more in-depth work and his more intense attitude to the plot would have been better. Dito Tsintsadze's "On the Edge" is clearly more diverse and complex in this respect, despite the fact that the film was shot at that time and it was relatively difficult for the director to convey the current environment.
Due to its weaknesses, the film still fails to say anything significant. While the film does highlight the negative impact of war on people and raises questions about moral compromises, its subject matter lacks originality and a perspective that would be remembered by the audience for a long time. Its strengths are the actors' performance and visual quality, but the director's lack of emotional connection to the film leaves a feeling of invisible emptiness. A clear example of this is the open finale of the film, which shows the cruelty of that unbearable brothers’ war, although the director seems to avoid unnecessary comments and his attitude to this topic in the form of a conclusion.
“Bad People” tries to be a strong and dramatic work, but due to the insufficient depth of his directorial vision and the lack of emotional connection, the quality of the film weakens. It does not reach the heights that its topic requires. As an episode of history, it certainly is interesting, but it becomes difficult to see the spiritual world of the person of that period and his emotions in it. This is a film that is worth watching to study and understand the context of the history of Georgia of that period, although, unfortunately, it does not leave an emotion that will remain in the viewer for a long time.
Making a short film on the topic of the civil war when everything happened decades ago is difficult and, in a way, responsible. This requires studying and researching the historical and social contexts of that era, which is not visible in "Bad People." Films created on this topic should not only demonstrate a reflection of the past, but also be a constant reminder that internal conflicts cause great harm to the future generations of the country.
Saba Makharashvili
