Chokehold – Netflix Review (3/5)

CHOKEHOLD on Netflix is a new thriller from Turkey (org. title: Boğa Boğa). A man goes from seeking peace to becoming a serial killer – without trying to. Talk about things escalating at a wild pace. Read our full Chokehold movie review here!

CHOKEHOLD is a new Netflix thriller from Turkey (org. title: Boğa Boğa). The runtime is a bit long at 1 hour and 52 minutes, but the story also manages to get quite crazy. And yet, the ending is quite different from what you might expect.

MORE NETFLIX PRODUCTIONS FROM TURKEY

If you haven’t already, make sure you check out the series Hot Skull on Netflix >

There are many messages in this movie. Both about betrayal and forgiveness along with everything in between. Also, there are many lives lost before the end credits, so the nearly two hours of runtime has a lot of storylines to process.

Continue reading our Chokehold movie review below. Find the thriller on Netflix from April 21, 2023.

A bigger story than the plot teases

Admittedly, the official plot of Chokehold is about a couple leaving Istanbul and settling in the Aegean region in a small village. There, they’re hoping to start a new and peaceful life, but the people in the village are not ready to let that happen.

The real story is that the man in this couple has been accused of fraud. The kind that involves a lot of money that came from people investing their life savings. Also, they have moved from Istanbul to the village he grew up in. Basically, everyone knows him and many people there trusted him, so they invested in his business.

That very same business that is now accused of embezzling and leaving many “normal” people in crippling debt. So, yeah, they’re not exactly great fans of his. Not anymore! And most of them make damn sure he knows this.

Becoming a serial killer

An even better plot description for Chokehold could also be: A man goes from seeking peace to becoming a serial killer. Without ever trying to, which is quite a career path to embark on.

You see, Yalın (Kivanç Tatlitug) is the kind of person who has very little empathy – hence the whole fraud thing – and he never backs down. So, when people come at him and threaten either his life or comfort, he reacts swiftly.

The first time he kills someone is in self-defense. How he reacts afterward, is what sets him on a crazy path that escalates at a breathtaking pace. He really isn’t very likable and the more you know about him, the less there is to relate to. The guy might try to do right, but not if it’s too difficult.

Sure, I’m oversimplifying… but it’s also an accurate description.

As the absolute star of Chokehold, we see Kivanç Tatlitug as Yalın. You’ll probably recognize Kivanç Tatlitug from Into the Night and especially the Into the Night spin-off Yakamoz S-245. He was the star of that spin-off, so he can carry a movie or series quite well.

Watch Chokehold on Netflix now!

The director of Chokehold (org. title Boğa Boğa) is Onur Saylak. Previously, Onur Saylak has worked mostly as an actor, but since 2015, he has been directing a short film, a feature film (now two with this latest one), and two TV series. His feature film debut as a director was the crime drama Daha in 2017.

He also co-wrote his debut film along with Hakan Gunday, who is the screenwriter on Chokehold. He also has quite a few interesting credits on his IMDb resume. Unfortunately, nothing I can say I’m familiar with.

If you’re in the mood for a movie where the main character goes on a downward spiral, then Chokehold on Netflix is a good choice. It can only make you realize that you’re doing pretty well in your own life. Also, the acting and the overall style and tone of the story work really well. Basically, I’m trying to say it’s very much worth your time!

Chokehold is on Netflix globally from April 21, 2023.

Details

Director: Onur Saylak
Writer: Hakan Gunday
Cast: Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, Funda Eryiğit, Gürgen Öz, Hayat Van Eck