Bartkowiak (2021)

Bartkowiak attempts to deliver a high-octane revenge thriller, succeeding primarily in its moments of kinetic action and professional fight choreography, which often utilize a brutal, grounded MMA style. Director Daniel Markowicz employs a sleek, modern visual style, utilizing neon-drenched urban settings effectively during the numerous, well-staged combat sequences. However, the film is fundamentally undermined by a relentlessly formulaic screenplay. The central themes of guilt, redemption, and underworld corruption are explored only superficially, serving merely as scaffolding for the next set piece. Józef Pawłowski delivers a physically committed performance, yet the dialogue is often clunky, and the supporting characters are thinly sketched archetypes. While it satisfies a basic craving for polished, straightforward action, its predictable pacing and lack of narrative ambition prevent it from achieving true cinematic resonance or originality.