When the War Comes – Az prijde válka (2018)

Directed by: Jan Gebert | 76 minutes | documentary

‘When the War Comes’ screams ‘you’re young and you want something’ for almost the full 76 minutes. However, in this case it is not so innocent. This documentary follows a group of young Slovaks who are part of a paramilitary organization. According to their charismatic leader, Peter Svrcek, sports are not healthy and patriotic enough. No, they must arm and prepare militarily for the battle of civilizations. Svrcek hopes with this paramilitary organization to save Slovakia from destruction. The group adheres to extreme right-wing and nationalist ideas, which is expressed, among other things, in hatred of migrants. Like other extreme right-wing movements, this club denies just as quickly that it is really racist. According to Svrcek, the Slovak group is especially good for homeland Slovakia.

‘When the War Comes’ provides an interesting insight into the daily activities of the above-mentioned paramilitary group. In terms of intensity, its workouts match those in ‘Full Metal Jacket’ (Stanley Kubrick, 1987) and the group actively seeks confrontation with opponents. In addition, the organization mainly recruits new members via social media, and this is not without success. Nevertheless, this club of rascals occasionally comes across as sleazy and amateurish. The organization is not exactly overcrowded with members and the vicissitudes surrounding its board are reminiscent of a famous scene from ‘Monty Python’s Life of Brian’ (Terry Gilliam, 1979), in which religious groups split off for the most trivial reasons. But how innocent is this little club around ‘babyface’ Svrcek really? Is this just scrambling out of control or a signal that the radical right is seriously growing in Slovakia and Eastern Europe?

However, ‘When the War Comes’ does not provide a direct answer to such politically charged questions. The documentary is actually quite phlegmatic. Director Jan Gebert mainly observes. He gives almost no context to the Slovak Recruits or where the ideas of this club come from. As a viewer you are simply thrown right into the action. Plus, the documentary jumps from one recruit to another a few times for no apparent reason. Then you are disappointed that Svrcek is no longer followed. He seems most interesting in this snake pit. In addition, Gebert is so close to the paramilitaries with the camera that it is difficult to estimate whether these are really tough guys. At the same time, this approach makes the documentary itself extra exciting and you may not be too quick to judge these kinds of movements in the light of history. They have always been there and give certain young people direction and meaning in their lives. Nevertheless, the feeling creeps in that you are watching a (small) monster in the making.

Remarkably, this production is from HBO Europe. There is already a fruitful collaboration with the BBC for fiction series, but the American producer is now clearly setting foot in mainland Europe. Even though ‘When the War Comes’ doesn’t quite come through, no subject seems too important for HBO Europe. This promises something and director Gebert may visit the Slovak recruiting paramilitary group again in five years’ time. Who knows, what Gebert will find in Slovakia…