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4.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Traitor remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you are a total nerd for film history or 1930s political messaging. If you are looking for a thriller, you’re going to be bored to tears. Most people will probably find it stiff, repetitive, and way too heavy-handed with its 'loose lips sink ships' vibe.
The whole thing feels like one giant, state-sponsored PSA. Every time a character starts talking, you can almost hear the writers shouting, 'Be careful what you say!' at the screen. It is not exactly subtle.
The pacing is all over the place. One minute you are in a metal works, the next you are in a bank, and everyone is acting super suspicious for no reason other than the script demanding it. It lacks the natural tension you’d find in something like The W Plan.
There is this one scene in the airplane factory that just drags on forever. The camera just stares at the machinery while people whisper in corners. It feels like they were trying to make the bombers look impressive, but it mostly just makes you want to check your watch. Are they ever going to get to the point?
It is fascinating to see how they used Lída Baarová here. She is clearly doing her best to carry the scenes, but the material is just so thin. You can tell the movie is trying to make you feel anxious about your neighbors, but it mostly just feels like being trapped in a room with a very boring, very intense uncle.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in The Important Witness, but without any of the fun. This movie is just so serious about its own importance. It forgets that movies are supposed to, you know, actually be watchable.
Anyway, I probably wouldn't watch this twice. Once is enough to get the gist of the paranoia. It is a strange artifact, for sure. 🎥