Argo (2004) User Reviews

If Guy Ritchie would be a Hungarian

[Dworkyll · 4 October 2004]

than he most probably would be make this film the in a similar way :-) This one is more likely the low budget, east European version of the Lock, Stock... or the Snatch movies. Especially the character intros, the fading-to-stylized headshots with big block letters. I found this resemblance pretty annoying in an otherwise more or less original film. You might find some more interesting "flashbacks" from the opening battle from the Gladiator, and the shoot-outs from the Desperado. I hope, next time Mr Árpa will re-invent instead of re-use the great moments from other great movies. Two more weak points in the film, the storyline has some unnecessary curves, and one of the lead actors (the Milkman) simply falls out from the rest of the cast due to his inability to present his role properly. Really shameful.

Now let see the good points. The greatest asset the filmmakers have is the cast. Apart from Mr Oszter, everyone of them are just perfect. They do not seem to be actors, however at least some of them are, but real, everyday-life guys. The curvy plot has several hilarious gags, frantic losers fighting for victories, in a typical East-European way.

The low budget only moderately visible, it seems, that the crew used the resources in a very effective way. This film cannot be swapped with a Hollywood action movie, however successfully turns the weakness (small amount of money) into style: lots of close-ups, cheap but interesting locations etc.

In summary: I recommend this movie to anyone, who are not annoyed by strong language and lots of artificial blood marks, and wants some treasure chasing gangster-fun:-).

I just wonder how this film will perform in a non-Hungarian speaking world :-)

awesome, a must see!! we'll hear from this director again!!

[sobefilmfreak1234 · 10/10 · 21 September 2004]

hungary is well known for it's art-house films....argo is different, what makes it so special and good. the script is amazing, especially when you look how many actors are involved as main cast. even though the language is quiet hard it's all on purpose to give the audience a great laugh (does not always work in other movies). argo is set in this beautiful environment of the hungarian countryside and there the rough humor seems to work just fine.

the director was very brave to shoot such a movie in hungary, he took many risks, but i am sure he will be rewarded with big time box office numbers. for sure this film has no deep meaning, but it was about time for the hungarian movie audience to get a great piece of entertainment !

everything in this film fits in, especially the cinematography is beautiful, fast and stylish. the music works great and the actors are stunning, they can even make you laugh without saying any line!!!!!!

i was lucky to see this film on it's first weekend in budapest, i wish it will come to the USA, so people here can be part of this great experience! go see it!!!

Less then art but still a good job!

[ricco-5 · 10/10 · 10 October 2004]

ARGO

Quest for the Golden Owl - Attila Árpa a former Hungarian reality-show producer wanted to make an action movie that his country's never had before. Árpa admittedly borrowed certain patterns from the masters of the genre: Tarantino, Ritchie and Kusturica. However, his product turned out much better than it first sounded (the makers managed to attract a lot of attention to their work when it was in progress). Most of the elements has been seen before, but Hungarian environment and sarcasm add a fresh tune to this slowly decaying type of movie. The filmmakers didn't waste much time with the story: it's a great challenge with time and the opponents for the fabulous treasure, an ancient barbarian golden owl named Styx Aurum. The three completely different gangs are running amok countrywide and stop only when they reach the finish line. The film is pulsing until the last minute, so you don't have time to get bored. The great performances of the Hungarian actors(none of them well known)must be mentioned: they make their characters really believable. The only problem will be about the translation of the diction, because the language is so inventively mean, that it can be hardly translated. Time will tell, but this doesn't change the fact that it is a well-made and very dashing film.

The first Hungarian trash movie ever

[toxic-lover · 9/10 · 18 September 2004]

When having read the critics on ARGO I just knew that he did it again. Whatever he does, it's always those two reactions: either they say "what the f*ck did he do that for?" or they go "finally someone who had the balls!"

ARGO is not different.

You can love him or you can hate him. You can call him a scandalous punk or a genius. Anyway, the director of this movie is known for make things happen.

ARGO happened. It was released on September 16th and had already more viewers than Steven's Terminal.

Whatever you might think, you have to see the movie to have an opinion. And that's what people do: they go watch the movie. And that's what movies are made for: to be watched.

Interested in the first Hungarian trash movie ever?

Check out ARGO and make up your mind yourself. Punk or player?

Yuck!!!

[barna-gmt · 1/10 · 29 November 2004]

The German born Attila Arpa, a failed Big Brother producer, started to learn film making, but never finished. Unfortunately he managed to raise just enough fund to produce this low budget film. Obviously he decided to make this film, not one critics would love, but one he himself would enjoy. Tries to mimic the art of his favorite directors: Joel "(F)Argo" Coen, Tarantino, etc, but fails miserably. Nothing is original, all the elements are compiled from their works. The story is fairly simple. Only the performance of some of the actors is notable (Sandor Oszter, Fero Nagy), one point for that. The otherwise boring film completely succeeds only in killing all the cast. Altogether: 1 stars out of 10.

AVOID AT ALL COST!!!

I loved this movie

[aurons_soul · 10/10 · 23 April 2005]

well....what can i say....Argo is an interesting movie. I am Hungarian so i had a chance to watch it in its original format and i was pretty pleased. It took some getting used to and the "action scenes" were pretty cheesy, but i think some people who bash it kind of miss the point. this isn't trying to be a James bond action movie. it's a comedy. There are a good few things that you wont get or laugh at unless you are Hungarian, so that may take down the value of the movie for some, but than again, this movie wasn't really intended for the US audience. While a good number of jokes are verbal, the sheer stupidity of some of the characters is mind blowing. From some aspects this movie reminds me of some Jancso films...................I thought it was a good movie, the humor was great, action was bleh, while it may look like the producer is trying to copy his US colleagues, to me, these references came off more in the tone of satire than anything.

Do not watch this movie!!!

[gbr99 · 1/10 · 16 October 2008]

This movie was "successful" thanks to the money payed to the critics. This is an unbelievably boring, dull and awful movie. And what's worse, it is even very long. Lying in your bed watching the ceiling for two hours will be more amusing for you than watching this movie, so I recommend you do that, instead of the latter. The movie consists of the following: 0 thought, 0 fantasy, 0 actualization. The story was so bad that I actually registered only to write this comment to warn everybody: please try to keep yourself away from this. So why is this movie so bad? It has everything it thinks an action movie should have: there are tits, there is a car rolling over, there are shootings, there is a huge truck, guys beating up others, guns, special ops attacking - but all of this has no meaning whatsoever in the movie! And this is not about being low budget: if someone has some talent, he can make a good movie from little money. Unfortunately, in this case we can see no sign of talent. None at all.

Funny? Yes! Hollywood? No! Controversial? Absolutely!

[info-7545 · 10/10 · 12 February 2006]

Actually this movie can be liked by those who understand the director's "enfant terrible"-way of life. It is a good comedy, anyway, but if you understand all those unsaid comments Arpa implemented, then it's a great movie - unfortunately these things will not be understood by non-Hungarians.

You don't need brains to laugh on the jokes but you need brains to understand the jokes between the lines.

Many viewers loved it, some just simply liked it and then there are the shallow-minded ones who didn't like it because they don't like the director himself. And yes, Arpa is - just as well as his movie - something special, not made for the dumb crowd and people with prejudice but for film lovers who appreciate courage and personality.

Sure, ARGO has mistakes, that's why I am waiting desperately for the next movie. Because whatever this guy did so far, he always knew where he was with himself. That's something not too many people can say about themselves.

I understood Arpa's next movie is a romantic Thriller. If that is true: BRING IT ON!

Amok run for the gold, with a bunch of idiots.

[tobiasnan · 9/10 · 27 March 2005]

I liked this movie, as most people I talked to about it. The movie is funny because most of Hungary's gangsters have the same brain capacity, and fantasy to solve a problem. Give a simple work to a bunch of idiot's but don't tell them that their payment is ridiculous compared to their jobs benefit. If they finished the half of the work, they realize what they have in their hands is a map to a treasure, they start and amok run for a crazy payment. Give a bunch of professional treasure hunters, with some high-tech stuff, a guy who is searching for the same jewel.

The main character is Theseus I think but Arpa Attila should choose somebody with more acting skills. The love-story is ridiculously bad, but this is not the movie why we buy our ticket. The bandits played by guys who appeared in commercials where they played mafia band, so Hungarian public know their face. Their mind is weird, and very simple: they kill a guy at the beginning with nicotine patches. The ultra crazy member of the band, (a psycho killer: name Psycho) appears on the screen, by blasting a brick wall and making a glimpse that you'll never forget.

Argo 2 is coming!

[AttilaArpa · 10/10 · 4 September 2014]

Hey film critics! Kiss my ass! The sequel is ready and about to be released. It was financed by the National Filmfund just like two other film projects I'm working on. This was my 2014. What did you accomplish? Nothing? I thought so.

For the rest of you: Argo won Best Film at the Hungarian Filmszemle, voted by the AUDIENCE in 2003. Argo was voted one of the "funniest Hungarian films ever" by the readers of the biggest Hungarian internet portal (origo). And that's all that matters to be. The REAL audience. You didn't like my film? I couldn't care less. Then don't watch Argo2. Simple as that. Oh, and get a life.

Worst Hungarian movie ever

[wolfkrisztian1 · 1/10 · 16 February 2013]

I saw this junk almost 4 years ago and - I try not to write so emotional - but I gave it the worst Hungarian movie ever title. The story line is a totally crap, the actors play like they never did that before and the director's work... that is under the line what an average viewer can tolerate... And on behalf of the whole Hungarian nation I hereby apologize for this movie. The makers of this thing I think tried to mix the famous films The x-files, The Indiana Jones movies, The trainspotting and so on... The intellectual level of the film is under of an 5 years old child. The story is so simple an so confused in a same time. It seemed to me like some people who haven't any idea of film making found some movie maker equipment in a dark corner and they decided to make a film, but unfortunately some of them took some drug to the scene and tada(!) this is the result...

On margo of Argo

[tamasbode · 10/10 · 13 February 2019]

Hi Attila, I really liked Argo, but I didn't liked your comment against the critics or better to say opinions. You never should answer them, we do it at cashiers of cinemas and DVD shops instead of you. Keep calm and work on Argo3! Good luck