Godspeed Reveiw: Engin Akyürek, Tolga Sarıtaş Show Heart and Brotherhood

Godspeed, or Yolun Açik Olsun, is a drama film directed by Mehmet Ada Öztekin and stars Engin Akyürek, Tolga Sarıtaş, and Belfu Benian, alongside other cast members. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Hakan Evrensel and has a runtime of 119 minutes.

Netflix describes the movie as:

An ex-army captain travels to Dalyan to stop his friend’s beloved from marrying another man, but grief and trauma from a combat tragedy mar his journey.

– Godspeed review does not contain spoilers –

Godspeed 2022 makes sure to let us know that our protagonist is a broken man thanks to his time in the military. It’s mostly a buddy movie, where Salih and Kerim discuss the past and the present and everything in between. It’s quite evident from Salih’s behaviour and his flashbacks that he’s still reeling from everything that he has gone through. His wife Duygu is his rock but there’s only so much she can do.

As Salim goes on a little tour, it becomes apparent that there’s something wrong with his narrative. Although the movie tries to deliver a shocking twist, you realise what’s going on pretty early on in the runtime. Godspeed Netflix feels like something we’ve seen before many times – untreated trauma, coming to terms with said trauma and living your life. The depth of his mental health issues is quite shocking and he lashes out at everything and everyone. You sometimes feel bad for him, at other times, it’s embarrassing and annoying watching him act like a toddler when he has other responsibilities that he has to take care of.

But, all said and done, the movie, at 2 hours, feels extremely stretched out and sluggish. For those who like extremely slow, emotional dramas, this might be the one to look out for. For others, it’s going to be a somewhat heavy and annoying watch, considering Salih is an unreliable narrator and seems to lack some empathy. Thus, there’s a weird feeling of pity and annoyance at the same time.

As every movie involving journeys start, the protagonists and the audience meet new people along the way who change Salih’s life and provide a different perspective. The flashbacks, too, have heart to them and add context to everything that happens in the present. These moments are fun and often heartwarming. You realise what they went through and their thoughts make sense.

I think the most interesting angle is that of Duygu, Salih’s wife. It’s difficult being a soldier’s wife but her thoughts behind him coming back are heartbreaking and although sad, you realise her point of view. What she is going through in all this mess doesn’t get a lot of attention but I think I was really attracted to her rationale. Duygu is reduced to just supporting her husband, as is usually seen in movies such as these. Regardless, whatever we see of her makes us want to see more, something that we really don’t get much.

Godspeed’s end is probably its most emotional moment. Although we know what’s going to happen, it’s still an emotional moment for the audience when we see the entire story. The ending is dramatic as well but I think the emotion and drama go well together and if nothing else, you feel bad for Kerim. As past and present come together, Salih’s mental anguish makes sense. Kerim’s character is heartfelt and warm and goes well against Salih’s brashness.

<spoiler> However, I think the idea of telling people that dead people are not gone because they are coming back as their children is problematic on many different counts and should never be encouraged. It gives birth to unhealthy expectations and can negatively affect the person as well as the child. </spoiler>

Engin Akyürek and Tolga Saritas are believable in their lead roles. The two do a great job in this hot-and-cold movie. The flashbacks make for the most interesting parts of the movie while the present drags and somewhat annoys you. There are several noteworthy moments in the film that will make you feel sad for everyone involved in this mess of a situation. Nevertheless, the actors do a great job at bringing these flawed characters to the forefront.

Summing up: Godspeed

In the end, Godspeed is a decent movie, one that talks about trauma and coping through it. It sometimes drags and is extremely slow most of the time. However, if you’re someone who is into slow dramas, Yolun Açik Olsun might just be worth it.

Godspeed is streaming on Netflix.

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