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Productstar 3.0
Prostokvashino 2026
Get ready to dive into the world of Prostokvashino 2026, a film released in 2026 that's packed with excitement and intrigue. This movie promises to take you on a thrilling ride with its unique blend of action and drama. With its gripping storyline and heart-pumping action sequences, Prostokvashino 2026 is a must-watch for fans of the genre.
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A Remake That Falls Flat: Why 'Prostokvashino' Should Have Been Left Alone
summarizeEditor's Summary
I'm usually a fan of Soviet classics, but the live-action remake of Prostokvashino was a total letdown. The filmmakers tried to stretch out the pacing by adding silly gags, but it feels like a lazy attempt to appeal to kids. The animation, the story, and even the beloved characters are all compromised in the process. The result is a messy, unfunny film that fails to capture the magic of the original. The cinematography is decent, but it's not particularly noteworthy. The cast does their best with the material they're given, but it's not enough to elevate the film. The film's themes of family and friendship are still present, but they're not as well-executed as in the original. The film's visuals are colorful and engaging, but they're not enough to make up for the film's lack of substance. Overall, the remake feels like a watered-down version of the original, and it's not worth watching for fans of the classic.
settingsSpecifications
KararKötü
Dizayn6/10
Hikaye6/10
Kalite6/10
GörüntüYönetimi5/10
KarakterGeliştirme7/10
A Remake That Falls Flat: Why 'Prostokvashino' Should Have Been Left Alone
When I hear about modern directors remaking Soviet classics, I always wonder: what's the point? What's not to love about the genius of Prostokvashino, with its lovable cat Matroskin and Uncle Fyodor? It's a film that's been cherished by generations of kids and adults for decades, with its timeless animation and story that's perfect just the way it is.
Hello everyone, and welcome to my review page!
It's disheartening to see the cultural scene losing its sense of shame and decency, with new 'masterpieces' popping up every day, like Alice and the Bogatyrs with their pregnant wives. And now, it seems, even Prostokvashino is getting the remake treatment.
I've got to say, turning the cartoon into a live-action film was a bold move. They took some liberties with the story, adding in some funny one-liners while keeping the original dialogue intact. Given the original cartoon is way shorter than the movie, they had to stretch out the pacing.
They even threw in a few silly gags, mostly geared towards kids. I personally loved this bit:
Don't get worked up, or you'll burst.
Let's start with the visual aspect. I've got mixed feelings here - the scenery and the town of Prostokvashino are genuinely beautiful, and the actors have done a great job of transforming themselves into their cartoon counterparts. Take Uncle Fedya's dad, for example - he's got the exact same wild look and that iconic sweater. And the iconic striped swimsuit, the scene where they're sitting by the lake... it's all eerily similar to the original cartoon.
But despite all the brightness and green color of nature, I always got the impression that I was watching some kind of computer game. With the latest tech, where any schoolkid can use AI to give their teacher legs, I don't get why they didn't use real cats and dogs, but instead those computer-generated 3D characters. It's just not working, and the human characters really clash with these illustrations.
Looking closer, Matroskin the cat and Shereck the dog are actually kind of scary and silly. I mean, the cat's crossed eyes are supposed to be endearing, but I just couldn't get over why they're all scrunched up like that.
Shereck's just a generic, uncharismatic dog - even in a pack of dogs chasing a bride, I couldn't tell him apart from the others. All in all, the computer characters are a major fail, but the worst offender has got to be Galchonok. It looks like someone's just moving around a sticker, and that's probably one of the most disappointing characters.
I've got to say, the filmmakers don't really sweat the details when it comes to making scenes look realistic. Like, when Uncle Fedor is holding the rabbit that Shurik the dog took pictures of, he's holding this weird, dead rabbit figure thing, or what looks like a piece of old fur, or maybe just a dead body - it's super obvious that the character's not even moving or breathing.
One of the more charming characters is Murka the cow. Now, this is just my personal opinion, and I'm not trying to push it on anyone - maybe someone out there will fall in love with these characters, put them in their heart, and remember them forever, just like we all remember the heroes from the original Prostokvashino cartoon. But honestly, I'm not convinced that's going to happen.
It's pretty clear when they're filming outside versus filming in Uncle Fedor's house. The apartment of Uncle Fedor's parents looks just as dark and gloomy, and you have to really pay attention to notice what's going on - that's a problem with the operator's filming style.
I've got to say, the storyline didn't change much for the second season, but they basically dragged Matroskin's cat out of nowhere to make it happen. And at the end of this cartoon, we even get a sneak peek of an upcoming movie called 'Winter in Prostokvashino', which they're planning to release around the next New Year's holidays. I'm not sure if fans of the first Prostokvashino will go see the sequel out of curiosity or if theaters will be half-empty.
The casting was a bit of a mixed bag. To be honest, I was really disappointed by Uncle Fedor and the kid who played him. Something just didn't click - he moved like a robot, spoke like a robot, lacked any emotion, and there was zero interaction with the cat and dog, which is understandable since they're fictional characters. The kid just couldn't pull off the face, and his entire demeanor was off-putting rather than engaging.
I've got to say, the character of Pochtalon Pechkin, played by Ivan Okhlobystin, was a bit of a letdown for me. All the hype around him in the media over the years made me view him more as a character than an actor. I'm not even sure what his profession is supposed to be – is he a priest, an actor, a politician, or a director? Whatever it is, I found myself cringing every time he was on screen, expecting him to shout 'goyda!' at any moment. To be honest, I didn't really connect with Pechkin in this movie, and in the original version, he was always a bit of a nuisance that I wanted to get rid of.
The character of Lisa Morak, Pechkin's wife, played by the actress's real-life husband's wife, was also a bit underwhelming. Her role is pretty minor in the story, and she spends most of her time waiting with her husband for a letter from their missing child. It's a pretty passive role, and the actress seems to be more focused on showing off her wardrobe than actually acting. I guess it's not surprising, given that she's an actress by default, but still, it was a bit of a disappointment to see her in such a minor role.
I have to say, the show started feeling like one of Shurik's failed adventures, and suddenly Marina Fedunkiv pops up as the conductor, Baturutdinov, who's basically a household name in Russian cinema, shows up as a postal worker, and there's even a granny from that cleaning product ad.
To give it a more national feel, they added some Sochi cops with fancy Eastern-sounding names and a few jokes. One of them actually made me chuckle – it was this thing about how quickly Caucasian guys grow hair and how often they need to shave. It's clear the script was written by Armenians, and the stand-up guys had a hand in it too.
Compared to the acting and visuals, the voice acting was actually pretty decent. Tabakov's son does the voice of Kozma, and he's a talented guy – no complaints there.
I loved the soundtrack – it's packed with a ton of songs that'll bring back memories and make you wanna sing along. Of course, these tunes are geared towards folks 40+, but the music itself is top-notch.
The thing is, the kids won't even get these songs – they're completely lost on them. I mean, if it's a kids' movie, you'd think they'd include something more kid-friendly, like a blue tractor or something.
Objectively speaking, I'd give this film a solid 3 out of 5. They tried to stick closely to the original script, but somehow managed to stretch the runtime to 1:45 minutes. They added some decent jokes, but some of them are a bit too mature for kids – they won't even get them. It's like they took some memes and characters from who-knows-where, reinforcing the idea that TV is slowly dying and the internet is taking over faster than ever.
I wouldn't have gone to see this movie in the theater, to be honest. Plus, I'm not even sure what age group this is aimed at. If parents want to introduce their kids to Uspensky's work, they'd be better off with the old animated version – it's still available, right? People from older generations will probably just roll their eyes at the remake. As the saying goes, the best thing to do with something great is to leave it alone. When you try to recreate the best, you're just setting yourself up for failure.
One word to sum it up: it's interesting. But it's completely lacking in meaning – a complete waste of time and money for the viewers. None of these rehashed films will be remembered in five years. Unless, of course, they decide to remake them again like they're doing with Yolki for the 12th time.
I wouldn't recommend it!
live_helpFeatured FAQ
What's the point of remaking a classic like Prostokvashino?
Remaking a classic like Prostokvashino is a bold move, but it feels like a lazy attempt to cash in on the original's success. The film tries to update the story and characters for a modern audience, but it ends up feeling like a watered-down version of the original.
Is the live-action remake of Prostokvashino worth watching?
No, the live-action remake of Prostokvashino is not worth watching. The film is a mess, with poor animation, convoluted storytelling, and cheesy dialogue. It's a waste of time and money.
What's the deal with the film's pacing?
The film's pacing is slow and plodding, which makes it feel like a chore to watch. The filmmakers try to stretch out the story by adding silly gags, but it feels like a lazy attempt to appeal to kids.
Are the characters in the film well-developed?
No, the characters in the film are not well-developed. The dialogue is cheesy and lacks emotional depth, which makes it hard to connect with the characters.
Is the film's humor funny?
No, the film's humor is forced and unfunny. It feels like a waste of time and money.
What's the deal with the film's themes?
The film's themes are mishandled and feel like an afterthought. It's a shallow attempt to cash in on the original's success.
Is the film suitable for kids?
Yes, the film is suitable for kids, but it's not a good representation of the original. The film's humor is forced and unfunny, and the animation is subpar.
Is the film worth watching for fans of the original?
No, the film is not worth watching for fans of the original. It's a watered-down version of the original, and it fails to capture the magic of the classic.
What's the deal with the film's cinematography?
The film's cinematography is decent, but it's not particularly noteworthy. It's a shame, because the film could have benefited from a more visually stunning approach.
check_circlePros
- •The soundtrack is catchy, but it's not enough to save the movie.
- •Some of the one-liners are funny, but they're not enough to make up for the rest of the film's shortcomings.
- •The cinematography is decent, but it's not particularly noteworthy.
- •The cast does their best with the material they're given, but it's not enough to elevate the film.
- •The film's themes of family and friendship are still present, but they're not as well-executed as in the original.
- •The film's visuals are colorful and engaging, but they're not enough to make up for the film's lack of substance.
cancelCons
- •The film's pacing is slow and plodding, which makes it feel like a chore to watch.
- •The animation is subpar, with poorly rendered characters and environments.
- •The story is convoluted and hard to follow, which makes it difficult to become invested in the characters.
- •The dialogue is cheesy and lacks emotional depth, which makes it hard to connect with the characters.
- •The film's humor is forced and unfunny, which makes it feel like a waste of time.
- •The film's themes are mishandled and feel like an afterthought, which makes it feel like a shallow attempt to cash in on the original's success.
