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Netflix's latest Polish thriller, Soulcatcher, premiered earlier today, August 2, 2023, taking viewers on a war hero-turned-military contractor's action-packed quest to retrieve a mind-altering, deadly device that can turn humans into zombie-like aggressive killers.
The official synopsis for the movie, as per Netflix, states:
''A military contractor hired to seize a weapon that turns people into savage killers seeks revenge when his brother falls victim to the device.''
Soulcatcher centers around Piotr Witkowski's lead character, Kiel or Fang, who is sent to a foreign land along with a team of mercenaries to rescue a mysterious woman. There, they discover a deadly device that has the potential to turn humans into zombie-like beings. What follows is a Minister's betrayal who desires to cause fear among the Polish and deceives Fang, killing nearly all his friends.
Written by David Kowalewicz and Daniel Markowicz, who also serves as director, Soulcatcher is the seventh Polish Netflix Original movie in 2023 and is produced by Warsaw-based studio Lightcrasft. Alongside Witkowski, the thriller also stars Jacek Koman, Mariusz Bonaszewski, Jacek Poniedzialek, Vansh Luthra, and Sebastian Stankiewicz, among other actors.
Soulcatcher fails to explore themes, characters, and story arcs with insubstantial performances from actors
The plot of Soulcatcher features multiple nail-biting, explosive sequences but fails to narrate a substantial storyline. The film begins with the death of a loved one when Fang has to kill his own brother during their mission after the latter gets affected by the device. Moreover, the lead's performance can be categorized somewhere between mediocre and unsatisfactory.
The plot begins on a more scientific note, and as the story progresses, it develops into a more political one. However, the message doesn't seem to be very clear and loud and gets out-distanced by all the action. There is some scientific relevance, but the movie fails to address the overall issue on a deeper level. Concerning the actors, all of their performances were somewhat average.
Soulcatcher starts on a tragic note, followed by more unfortunate events as Fang loses most of his friends after being deceived by the Minister who ordered the mission and hired them to retrieve the machine from General Yousif and his goons.
During the second mission, Storm and Fang get gravely wounded once the Minister turns his back on them, and a gunfight ensues between the Polish army and Interpol. Bull gets bombed trying to save his dogs. Harbir is one character whose relevance and loyalty to the cause have been undermined throughout.
In the end, Harbir saves Fang from the lab right after the latter exposes the Minister's true intentions and shortly before the lab explodes. There is also a romantic angle, which is explored halfway through the movie. A romance sparks between Fang and Eliza, but it seems uncertain where the two stand.
One of the concluding scenes depicts an angry mob breaking into the Minister's house while he escapes in a car driven by Bull, who survived the explosion. Bull then informs the Minister that "no one will ever find him." It ends with Fang, Harbir, and Eliza at the safe house.
Overall, the movie leaves a message to viewers about the disastrous impact that technology can have on today's relevance. It seemingly highlights the role such weapons might play in influencing the people of a country, especially in the wrong hands. Fang wanted to destroy the device, but the Minister changed his mind, using the sentimental cause of curing cancer.
During certain scenes, the action sequences seem fake, and there is zero character development. They never mentioned why and how Eliza became a part of General Yousif's target. Moreover, there could have been a more in-depth analysis of Fang's past as an army veteran.
In conclusion, Soulcatcher is nothing more than a fun watch, as themes were left unexplored, arcs remained incomplete, and the message was unclear.
Polish action-thriller Soulcatcher is now streaming on Netflix.
