Wikipedia

Restore Point

Restore Point (Czech: Bod obnovy) is a 2023 cyberpunk science-fiction thriller film directed by Czech director Robert Hloz in his directorial debut. The film was co-produced by the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Serbia.

Restore Point
Czech poster
Directed byRobert Hloz
Written byTomislav Čečka
Robert Hloz
Zdeněk Jecelín
Starring
CinematographyFilip Marek
Edited byJarosław Kamiński
Music byJan Šléška
Distributed by
  • Bio Illusion (Czech Republic)
  • Continental film (Slovakia)
  • XYZ Films (worldwide)
Release dates
  • 3 July 2023 (2023-07-03) (Karlovy Vary)
  • 21 September 2023 (2023-09-21) (Czech Republic)
[1]
Running time
111 minutes
Countries
LanguageCzech
Budget45 Million CZK[2]
Box office19,611,429 CZK (Czech Republic)[3]

The film's premiere took place during 2023 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and was attended by Czech president Petr Pavel.[4]

Plot edit

In 2041, due to social inequality and with violent crime on the rise, people in Central Europe have a constitutional right to be revived in the event of unnatural death. When someone dies violently, Restore Point's innovative technology resuscitates them, provided the person has routinely backed up their brain data every 48 hours. The facility is operated by the Institute of Restoration. Young detective Emma (Em) Trochinowska, an ambitious and well-respected police officer, is on the trail of a group called "River of Life" who are rebelling against "unnatural" resurrection technology by disrupting civilian life through terrorist attacks.

When the scientist who developed recovery technology, David Kurlstat, and his wife are murdered, Em is puzzled that he, of all people, hasn't had a valid recovery point with which to be revived.[5][6][7][8]

Cast edit

Production edit

Restore Point was directed by Robert Hloz in his directorial debut (after his short films Mlýn, Numbers, Prechodne Vedomi and Liars).[6]

The screenplay was written by Tomislav Čečka and Zdeněk Jecelín.[5]

Cast and shooting edit

Czech theater, film and television actor and Czech Lion Award winner Karel Dobrý, known for his role as the villain Matthias in the film Mission: Impossible, from the science fiction miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune and the TV series Carnival Row, appears as Rohan the head of Restore Point Institute while Agáta Kryštůfková was cast as his assistant.[6][9] Polish actor Tomasz Kot, theater and film actor known for films such as The Spur, Cold War - The Latitude of Love, A Perfect Enemy and Leave No Traces, has another leading role. Newcomer Andrea Mohylová took on the female lead, playing Emma Trochinowska, or "Em" for short. Matěj Hádek plays the research head of the institute, David Kurlstat, who was murdered together with his wife and whose case is Em investigating.[8] Jan Vlasák plays Em's superior and Václav Neužil appears as a colleague from another department[10] Other roles include Milan Ondrík as a fugitive terrorist and Lech Dyblik in a minor role.[6][11]

Principal photography took place in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland.[5]

Release edit

Restore Point premiered on July 3, 2023, at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[12] Its screenings began at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival the following day. Subsequently the film was also shown at the Fantasia International Film Festival in late July and early August 2023.[13][6]

Restore Point was released in Czech cinemas on September 21, 2023.

XYZ Films was named as distributor in various markets (including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany or Austria).[14][15] The film was released on Netflix and home media on 24 January 2024.[16]

Reception edit

Critical response edit

The film was described as the "Czech Blade Runner" by critics for its retro-futuristic cyberpunk aesthetic.[17][7] The Guardian described film as "competent copy but unmistakably synthetic", "bolted together from so many borrowed parts" and "forgets to locate its own philosophical kernel" and received three of five stars. [18]


Accolades edit

Award Category Subject Result
Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2023 International competition[19] Restore Point Nominated

References edit

  1. ^ "Video dne: Vary zažijí Bod obnovy". Deník N (in Czech). 3 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ Zbořil, Jonáš (5 July 2023). "Film, který chtěl vidět i prezident. Nezkazí ho ani špatný scénář". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Bod obnovy - Tržby a návštěvnost". KINOMANIAK (in Czech). Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  4. ^ Kabát, Marcel (6 July 2023). "Prezidentské překvapení při premiéře. A samotný film Bod obnovy? Atmosféra funguje, zápletka spíš překáží". Lidovky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Kudláč, Martin (10 December 2021). "Ambitious Czech sci-fi detective film Restore Point starts shooting". Cineuropa. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Fantasia International Film Festival Announces Second Wave of 2023 Lineup". Filmmaker Magazine. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b Kudláč, Martin (4 July 2023). "Review: Restore Point". Cineuropa. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b Ide, Wendy. "'Restore Point': Karlovy Vary Review". Screen. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Tvůrci snímku Bod obnovy se soustředili na základní kameny žánru sci-fi". ceskenoviny.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  10. ^ Novotný, Radek. "Bod obnovy. Česko se vrací ke sci-fi, teď do roku 2041". EuroZprávy.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  11. ^ Mažári, Martin (4 July 2023). "Bod obnovy: Česká sci-fi pecka se může rovnat zahraničním žánrovkám (recenze)". Totalfilm.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  12. ^ "KVIFF". kviff.com. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  13. ^ Berk, Jonathan (26 July 2023). "RESTORE POINT: Fantasia 2023". Berkreviews.com. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  14. ^ Spáčilová, Mirka (14 August 2023). "VIDEO: Domácí sci-fi Bod obnovy se dostane do amerických kin". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  15. ^ Vourlias, Christopher (26 May 2023). "XYZ Films Closes Raft of Deals on Czech Sci-Fi Feature 'Restore Point' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  16. ^ Polák, Lukáš. "Netflix uvede Bod obnovy, film Bratři dorazí později". MediaGuru.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Čtvrtý den Varů patří "českému Blade Runnerovi"". iprima.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  18. ^ Hoad, Phil (26 March 2024). "Restore Point review – Czech Blade Runner is a valiant attempt to satisfy cyber-noir cravings". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Restore Point · Robert Hloz · Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival". Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (in French). Retrieved 10 July 2023.

External links edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Restore_Point&oldid=1217655991"