Stand Off

Inspired by an actual case, this drama from Hungarian filmmaker Gyula Gazdag (A Hungarian Fairy Tale) is a very realistic look at two teenaged brothers, Zoltan (Ary Beri) and Istvan (Gabor Svidrony), who take over a girl's dormitory, holding 18 girls hostage. The brothers demand 400,000 Swiss francs and safe passage abroad. The bizarre twist is that the boys' father is a commander of the local border guards. In a chilling interview with the police, the father is queried about the armed boys' shooting abilities. After a bit of hemming and hawing, he admits that they're "sharpshooters." The five-day "stand off" between the boys and the authorities escalates into nail-biting suspense as the police try to buy time, and the teenage rebels increase their threats of violence. Stand Off is not flashy; and although one or two of the girls seems momentarily attracted to the handsome boys, no Hollywood love story subplot mars the straightforward unfolding of events. The only quibble is a frequent one with subtitled films--namely, not all of the dialogue is translated, resulting in viewers being frustrated with an otherwise admirable film. Noted director Istvan Szabo (Mephisto, Hanussen) does an excellent job as a doctor--the only person admitted into the dorm room by the boys--who clings to the forlorn hope that no one will die. A gritty, realistic drama, with a poignant atmosphere pervading throughout, Stand Off is recommended. (R. Pitman)