An Eastern European film noir that sheds light on the dark episodes of Czechoslovak history to bring out contemporary problems from the shadows. The Servants of the title are both party apparatchiks, pupils of the Prague seminary and their guardians. Those who serve the state are in conflict with those who serve God. However, Ostrochovský's truthful black-and-white film is by no means a naive story about a duel of light and dark forces. Set in the 1980s, the story explores the gray area of political games, cynicism and compromises, revealing the mechanisms governing totalitarian structures. Criticism of the state goes hand in hand with criticism of the Church as an authoritarian institution that will not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of the weakest in the name of persistence. The director focuses on the fate of newly minted seminarians Michal and Juraj, boys from the provinces, who enter the monastery with optimism and zeal. They don't know that they are entering a world of conspiracies, betrayals and broken lives, or that their friendship will be put to the test. This powerful, catching film is an accusation of gerontocracy and patriarchy.

text: nowyhoryzonty.pl