Kontroll Could Be Better

Big budget Hollywood films aren't the only ones that suffer from the problem of style over substance. While Kontroll has absolutely stunning cinematography (the architecture of Budapest's subway system is used to full effect here), likeable characters and a cool, throbbing techno soundtrack, the weak plot keeps it from becoming more than the sum of its parts. There's a thriller lurking somewhere in the midst of this film about the lives of ticket collectors, but it's never really given time to develop. Although the meandering plot makes the characters highly personable, it also makes the final hero vs. villain showdown pretty anti-climactic and far less than the exciting climax it deserves. That said, Kontroll is still worth seeing. Even art house geeks need their popcorn flicks.