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The Bandit (Eşkıya)

The Bandit (Eşkıya)

Movie · 1996 · 12 people

Yavuz Turgul wrote and directed Eşkıya (The Bandit), a Turkish film that opened on November 29, 1996. A drama-thriller-crime mix, it was the most-watched Turkish film from the start of box-office records in 1989 until 2001. It drew 2,571,474 viewers in 1996-1997 and is seen as the turning point from Yeşilçam to modern Turkish cinema. It won a Bogey Award in Germany and was Turkey's official entry for the 70th Academy Awards, though not nominated.

The story follows Baran, who leaves prison 35 years after a gang was caught in the Cudi mountains. Back home he finds his village under a dam's waters and learns that his closest friend's betrayal put him behind bars; that friend took his childhood love Keje and fled to Istanbul. Baran sets out knowing neither the city nor the address. On the train he meets Cumali, raised in the back streets of Beyoğlu. Şener Şen plays Baran, Uğur Yücel plays Cumali, Şermin Hürmeriç is Keje and Yeşim Salkım is Emel.

According to the director, the film carries fairy-tale elements while holding a sense of reality inside a fictional story. Mine Vargı produced it for Filma-Cass, with music by Erkan Oğur and Aşkın Arsunan.

DirectorYavuz Turgul
Production companyFilma-Cass

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Cast

Şermin Hürmeriç Keje Güven Hokna Güven Hokna Film actor · 80 years old Sevim Abla Kamran Usluer Kamran Usluer Actor · died at 67 Mahmut Şahoğlu/Berfo Necdet Mahfi Ayral Necdet Mahfi Ayral Actor · died at 95 Andrey Mişkin Özkan Uğur Özkan Uğur Actor · died at 69 Sedat Şener Şen Şener Şen Actor · 84 years old Baran Settar Tanrıöğen Settar Tanrıöğen Actor · 66 years old Kız Naci Uğur Yücel Uğur Yücel Actor · 69 years old Cumali Ülkü Duru Ülkü Duru Actor · 69 years old Emel's Mother Yeşim Salkım Yeşim Salkım Actor · 58 years old Emel Selim Erdoğan Selim Erdoğan Actor · 54 years old Police Officer 1 Kemal İnci Kemal İnci Film director · died at 85 Mustafa

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Through different eyes

History & Society Lens Asks about the period, the social background and what the work reflects.

Eşkıya is regarded as the turning point from Yeşilçam to modern Turkish cinema, and not only because of its box office. Baran, released after thirty-five years in prison, finding his village under a dam's waters is a powerful image of a changing countryside and of what gets left behind. Cumali, whom he meets on the train, is a city kid raised in the back streets of Beyoğlu. The film reads the gulf between the old values of the mountains and the new order of the big city through these two characters. The fairy-tale layer the director speaks of, however, sometimes turns social observation into romantic legend; it is a deliberate but debatable choice between reality and fiction.

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

Şener Şen's Baran fills the screen the moment he appears. Betrayal, an unfinished love and a search for an unknown address in Istanbul: what more could tension need? Uğur Yücel's Cumali keeps the energy up throughout. At 121 minutes it is long, though, and the drama sometimes hits the brakes. Still, it is easy to see why more than 2.5 million people rushed to cinemas.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humor and heart.

A powerful film, but not for everyone. It is a crime thriller whose story passes through the criminal world, so expect some hard moments. That makes it unsuitable for young children; it is better watched with teenagers and adults. It gets you thinking about loyalty, friendship and betrayal, and it will be talked about at home long afterwards. It also runs over two hours, so plan for that.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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