简介：ThefilmseemstometobeaninterpretationofHetmanIvanMazepaandUkrainianhistoryofhistimeasseeninaphantasmagoriadreaminthemindofthedirectorIlyenko.ThereismuchinthefilmthatIlikedandmuchthatIadmiredwithoutnecessarilylikingit. Muchofthecinematographywasveryeffective,someofthesymbolism,manyimages,theoccasionalhumor.Thereweremanyverystrikingparts,inparticularthevertepsequence,thedevastationofBaturyn,therepresentationofPeterI.TheotherstrengthistheimageofUkrainewhichisrepresentedinmanyways–inthewomenthatpopulatethescreen,orthemapofEuropewithUkraineasawomanthatgetsrapedbythepowerfulmenaroundher,andothersymbols.IthinkthatthecombinationofthisimageofUkraineasavictimofviolenceandtheimageofMazepawhoattemptedtodosomethingforthiscountrythatwasprobablydoomedtofailurearethemainmessagesthatIgotfromthefilm. Ontheotherhand,thefilmissimplytoolong.Itwouldbenefitfromeditingandpruning,whichcouldenhanceitseffectivenessbothasapieceofartandasamediumtoconveyitsmessage.Itlackedacertainsenseofeconomyparticularlyinthelasthalf-hour.Someofthesexualandscatologicalimagery(especiallythatinvolvingPeter)seemstomeartisticallyvalidandeffective,butsomeseemsgratuitousandbyitsoveruseweakensthepointittriestomake.…