This is spectacular, but pretty confusing. There are numerous characters, the plot is quite complicated, and the pacing of the movie is such that you rarely get any time to stop and think about what's happening. While the characters are all excellently realized and superbly acted, their motivations were a bit up in the air for me sometimes. But that's probably just because I'm stupid. Wajda is an incredible director.

One of my favorite Wadja films so far. It has many of the attributes of Visconti's The Damned and Bertolucci's 1900, including a willingness to go over-the-top in presenting a nightmarish vision of corruption, but The Promised Land is a hell of a lot more entertaining, propulsed by a chugging narrative that doesn't let up until its inevitable climax and tragic postscript.