Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
The film tells the story of a group of bandits captured in the Cudi Mountains 35 years ago. All of them have died, either from illness or vendettas; only Baran (Şener Şen) survives. After serving his 35-year sentence, Baran is released from Viranşehir Prison and learns that his birthplace is now submerged under the waters of a dam. Ceren Ana (Zübeyde Erden) tells him about the past. Baran is imprisoned because of the betrayal of his old friend Berfo (Kamran Usluer). Berfo stole the bandits gold, bought his childhood love Keje (Sermin Hürmeriç) from her father, and fled to Istanbul. While Baran is searching for Keje, he encounters a young man named Cumali (Uğur Yücel). These two men find solace in each other to avoid being swept away by the storms of the big city. And in this world where violence, betrayal, passion, boundless love and hatred intertwine, they try to survive.
Eşkıya (The Bandit) is a landmark Turkish cinema achievement. Its plot weaves together a timeless tale of loyalty, betrayal, and anachronistic honor with genuine emotional depth — the contrast between Baran's old-world code and Istanbul's chaotic modernity is compellingly rendered. Şener Şen delivers one of Turkish cinema's most iconic performances, utterly commanding as Baran, while Uğur Yücel provides strong support as Cumali. The film's cinematography is competent and evocative in places, particularly the Cudi Mountains prologue, but the Istanbul sequences are more functional than visually distinctive. Novelty is above average — the film carves a unique space blending epic bandit mythology with urban crime drama, though it draws on familiar archetypes from both worlds. The ending is emotionally resonant but follows a somewhat predictable tragic trajectory that genre-savvy viewers will anticipate. Overall, a beloved and culturally significant film that transcends its genre in key respects.