Torn from the Flag (2007)

Nice effects though.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Torn From The Flag is an inspirational David and Goliath story. I knew little about what transpired in Hungary in 1956. This film proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that man's desire for freedom can override even the most daunting odds. Everyone who loves freedom should see this film, because sometimes I think that those of us who have it...take it for granted. The courage of the Hungarian people going up against the one of the most powerful countries in the world, was the crack in the dike that eventually led to the downfall of the Soviet Union. The way Ms. Kovacs paced the film is extraordinary. It was amazing to me how much suspense she was able to create through the interviews of some of the participants and survivors of the Hungarian Revolution. Torn From the Flag is a masterful piece of work. Shelley Beckes

The subject (Hungarian Uprising of 1956), which has been unjustly neglected, is well worth filming and I learned things I hadn't known before or had forgotten. The movie itself is obviously the director's first feature, and as such it has both the flaws of a first feature and the promise of a director who has the main principle right: find a good story, especially one that has not been filmed before. One problem is that there is too much time devoted to talking heads, which got a bit boring, at least for me. The director might have used more of the talk (reminiscences and analysis) as voice-overs while showing archival footage, much of which is excellent. That could have tightened the film, which needed greater variety of pace and a sense of build-up. That said, I'm glad I saw it and I recommend it. It's good and worth seeing, but don't expect a masterpiece. Some of the comments about it are from the heart and draw on personal memories and more intimate (family?) knowledge of the events. I can't and don't argue with that, for this is valid. I write as someone not of Hungarian descent who is interested in the subject and in films. I wanted to like it more than I actually did, though I did.

To be honest, I did not know what to expect as I sat down in my seat. What was to follow was a film that tore at the roots of my emotions. I saw people,naively brave, fighting for what we, as Americans, enjoy on a daily basis - our freedom. We can only understand what we have, the freedom from oppression and the freedom to live a life in pursuit of happiness for our family and ourselves after we see this film. I don't recall any other film I have ever seen that is as raw, powerful and honest. I felt as if I living the events of the Hungarian revolution.Seeing this film put history in perspective for me. I absolutely agree with the filmmakers that the events of 1956 led to the the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union empire. Lastly, as in "Rocky" at the end of the movie I wanted to stand up and cheer for the underdog, in this case the "freedom fighters. The whole audience applauded loudly. The difference between the films is that this was was a reel of reality. I highly recommend this film for everyone,in every country. You will never forget this viewing experience, I promise you.Peter Hoffman

After seeing the film, these are the initial words that came to my mind: FAIR, BALANCED AND EXTREMELY PROFESSIONALLY DONE! It is very hard not to be biased about this subject matter especially when almost all involved making this film are or were affected by that era. I am not just referring to the Freedom Fighters in 1956; I am also talking about those who were raised under Communism. One might think that this film could present an excellent opportunity for venting, for hatred and everything that comes with that point of view; however the film avoids it by all means. It shows both sides and gives a great historical recap of events before, during and after 1956. The film would stand in history and could be shown to future generations, as it is without bias or distortion about what happened. For that, the filmmakers should be proud of themselves. The film's style may give you the feel of a History Channel program. I think that might be the case because of the outstanding production value and excellent professional work that we see on those TV programs. Today's documentary style is predominantly personal stories, sometimes shot with a skeleton crew and shaky camera. Because this film's professional look, one might think of television. Make no mistake, this is a feature documentary that would stand in competition with others in film festivals and would have a great chance to rise above them. The technical aspect: I would pay attention to the fantastic sound editing! Also, the cinematographer's choice of showing the participants' faces in shadow is actually a fantastic choice. It makes it look interesting, because we listen to their voice more so than watching the face that tells us the story or comments. The use of music is almost an extra character in the film; the choices are superb. Overall, I liked the film. As a Hungarian, I imagine it likely speaks to me more than it might to a non- Hungarian. However, non-Hungarian can use these historical events as a comparison to current events. The documentary films we see nowadays, such as Michael Moore's Roger and Me or Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me, started a trend: take on gigantic corporations and fight them like Don Quixote. This film shows and states that this small country, Hungary, was able to fight a giant like the Soviet Union…and fought it by itself, without any help. If the audience takes away from this film nothing else but this message of courage, it is worthwhile.