Kleks Academy (2023) User Reviews

Has potential, but was poorly edited.

[bjaf · 5/10 · 5 January 2024]

I am very happy that Polish domestic cinematography has finally started to cram the manual on "How to make films?" and they clearly reached the chapters "Shots", "Cropping", "Special Effects, especially ones looking not like a rubber dragon". Unfortunately, they didn't have time to review Chapter 7 "The Cutting and Editing" before they released the film for distribution. Or the entire budget was spent on shoots, set design and CGI, and there wasn't enough for the editor and it was put together by Joe, the director's brother-in-law. It is also possible that more material was shot and that it will be turned into a TV series, but what was to be included in the film was chosen haphazardly.

Aesthetically, the film is beautiful, individual scenes are interestingly done, the children's acting is good, but the main problem is the strange inconsistency of the plot and editing. It's really hard to describe.

The film is definitely good to watch ... in an altered stated of mind. These orgies of colors... om nom nom. ;)

Tomasz Kot carries the role well, and so does the main character (minus a few moments of the so-called "high cringe value"). The boss of the bad guys is awesome (Danuta Stenka).

But even at the stage of introducing Fronczewski (who played Professor Kleks in previous installment) there are inconsistencies, sometimes it is hinted at us that the title "Professor Kleks" is something like "Dr. Who" or "high school principal", and at other times it is suggested that Fronczewski was "someone else".

Our group at the cinema was trying hard to figure out the strange jumps in the plot and we quite often looked at each other with a bit of "wtf?" in our eyes.

I would love to see some sort of "director's cut" with the movie flow streamlined.

But the kids liked it.

There will be a sequel.

Visual Feast with a Hollow Heart - High Hopes Dashed in a Remake That Misses the Magic

[macius-r · 4/10 · 5 January 2024]

Kleks Academy, a modern remake of a classic 1980s film based on the book from 1946, impressively stands out in its technical aspects. The visual effects are of high caliber, rivaling those seen in international cinema, indicating a significant advancement in the quality of effects compared to its predecessor. Complementing these visuals, the movie's soundtrack is notable for its quality, adding depth and atmosphere to the scenes. Notable but not to the level of 1980's music, which become iconing for many children of that time

However, a film cannot ride solely on its technical merits, and it's here that Pan Kleks begins to falter. As someone familiar with both the book and the original film, I had high expectations for this adaptation. There was an opportunity for this story to resonate globally, potentially emulating the success of franchises like Harry Potter. Unfortunately, that potential remains unfulfilled.

The primary issue lies in the character development, particularly with Professor Kleks. Despite a solid performance by the actor, the character is diminished by a poorly written script, reducing what should be a central figure to a mere background presence. This lack of character depth is a recurring problem; even the diverse group of children introduced from around the world are relegated to fulfilling stereotypes rather than being fully realized characters.

Narratively, the film struggles with coherence and engagement. The plot feels disjointed and often dull, lacking the compelling storytelling necessary to captivate an audience. Relationships between characters, like that between Adriana and her 'best friend' Albert, are underdeveloped, missing opportunities to build emotional connections or sympathy with the audience.

In this lackluster ensemble, two performances stand out: Danuta Stenka and Sebastian Stankiewicz. Stenka, in her role as one of the antagonists, and Stankiewicz, as Mateusz, bring much-needed vitality to their scenes, eliciting genuine emotional responses such as laughter, fear, or anger. Their efforts, however, are not enough to carry the entire film.

In conclusion, while Kleks Academy excels in its visual and auditory presentation, it falls short in its storytelling and character development. The movie had the potential to introduce this beloved Polish story to a broader audience but ultimately fails to deliver a compelling or coherent narrative. Regrettably, despite its visual and auditory merits, Kleks Academy falls short of realizing its full potential. With a more refined script and visionary direction, this adaptation could have truly honored the cherished story it sought to bring to life.

Recommend for kids but not sure for whom this movie is?

[asiaropinska · 4/10 · 28 January 2024]

Despite my great desire to whitewash this film with the argument that it is a children's production, unfortunately it is difficult for me to say anything positive about it. I wonder who the target audience of this film is, because it is scary at times, and the "wolves" use a fictitious language with subtitles as a translation, which may be a problem for children up to 8 years old. The film's production is very poor: the dialogues are artificial and quite awkward to listen to for older viewers - people don't talk like that, the magical land looks very cheesy and doesn't seem extraordinary. Moreover, the photos from the movie were better in moments when the action takes place in the "normal world" (my personal opinion). Mr. Kleks himself, as well as most of the characters, are created to be funny, but it doesn't work here either. However, the biggest complaint I have against "Mr. Klesek's Academy" is the length of the film and, at the same time, its incredible chaotic nature and lack of consistency in the continuation of threads or events. Personally, I got lost in space-time a few times and couldn't understand many situations, let alone a viewer aged 6-10. There were many small children in the cinema hall, and I also had an ambitious task to explain to my 6-year-old sister what, where and how. The songs were definitely a big plus as they enlivened the children during the show and most of the room sang along. Additionally, the messages woven into this chaotic projection were very valuable, but I am not sure whether they were catchable for a young viewer. I am not able to rate this film and I am still not sure who it is intended for. However, after leaving the room, my younger sister said that she liked the film, so it seems that the film is popular among children 😉

Great movie!!

[pagoni-gosia · 10/10 · 6 January 2024]

I used to like this movie when I was a child as it was mandatory book at school we had to read and watch movie.

Since then I was watching over and over again. Now as an adult I went to cinema and I wasn't disappointed.

Full of macic, colors, movie which makes you smile.

I really recommend this movie for adults and children and I hope soon it will get to streaming platform so it's going to be famous all of the world. Polish production but not far for American. Great effects, smart story The movie contains also very nice music so watching is more enjoyable.

I highly recommended to everyone.

Thank u.

Good movie with a soul and technical problems

[bartosz_zdrojewski · 8/10 · 7 January 2024]

As a child I loved the magic of the old Kleks Academy movies, they were very bad but had amazig spirit and great music numbers. Went to the cinema with my kid, since we also read the book together, enough to say - hopes were high and good cast made them even higher.

From the begining it's a tear jerker. The movie has many slow scenes that WILL make you tear up. You could argue - too much. I enjoyed it but it might be to much for people looking for a light movie to watch with kids.

The movie treats audience mostly with respect - on one side - there is a lot of subtitles and not everything is said plainly, on the other - yes there are poop jokes - more then one. The way the heroes solve the conflict is unique and smart, not all of the problems disappear at the end of the movie, actions have consequences.

Things that are supposed to be scary genuinly are - in the way that old movies used to not hold back. One could argue that heavy scenes of war were cut in comparison to the original and the book but in today's political situation with war everywere it might have been a good and tastefull decision.

Character delevompent is a mix also. Our main character Ada is played by a good actor and we can see the reason behind her actions, there is no needless conflict at the end of second act.

Other characters were not given enough time - with exception of Mateusz who's story is very well told - and hits you with feelings when you least expect it.

Things having not enough time was a big problem of the Kleks Academy, perhaps there was too much cramed in in order to draw people to the sequel.

Action scenes were plainly bad, you have to squint very hard to not see problems - it's slow, awkward - entertaining only for small children.

There are 2 things that save this picture in my eyes. Let's start with music. They made the smart decision to use some of the original songs which are still present in the culture, in the cinema I could hear some of the children sing them quietly with the characters. These songs still have the same charm for the new generations they are just fun. New music created for this movie is great it gives beautiful background for the emotional scenes.

The second thing it does great is magic, creativity and spirit. The celebration of what it means to be a child, to allow yourself to play with imagination and just see the world as a great and wonderful place full of adventures and interesting people.

Today's children lose this too fast because of the internet, they become disilusioned with the world too soon. This movie makes an effort to show that it's important to not forget the child that we once were, to dream and be amazed by small parts of everyday life.

This amazing feeling is what elevates this film from mediocre book adaptation with pacing flaws to something that could make us realise the beauty of the world that surround us.