Daniel Hoesl and Julia Niemann’s dark satire “Veni Vidi Vici” begins with an extreme premise and no where else to go afterwards.
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“Veni Vidi Vici” Plot Summary
“Veni Vidi Vici” is an inventive satire of the uber rich that comes, unfortunately, at the heels of plenty more biting satires about the uber rich. Filmmakers Daniel Hoesl and Julia Niemann’s Austrian dark comedy shouldn’t be judged based on its time of arrival. After all, this independent film reportedly took 7 years to find proper funding. “Veni Vidi Vici” takes what viewers know about the elite and amplifies their privilege to the extreme. But when “Veni Vidi Vici” begins with the extreme, where else does it have to go?
“Veni Vidi Vici” starts with a cyclist abruptly gunned down by an unknown assailant. Just as our minds process what happened on screen, a car pulls up to the body, and another cyclist takes the dead man’s place on the road. This new cyclist is billionaire Amon Maynard (Laurence Rupp), and he’s the man who just shot and killed someone.
The Maynards are a picture-perfect family. Amon is a wealthy businessman and philanthropist; Viktoria Maynard (Ursina Lardi) is a successful lawyer; and they have four children: two adopted and two kids from Amon’s previous marriage. They’re also rich, and just not the “casual rich” of glibly making deals with politicians and screwing business colleagues over by buying their companies. The Maynards are so rich that Papa Maynard hunts humans every week. The town is plagued by serial killings, and while people suspect Amon Maynard, no one has done a thing about it.
Amon Maynard craves consequences. He gets pleasure in the hunt and also in almost getting caught. But the Maynards’ lives may soon be threatened by a journalist (Dominik Warta) revealing Amon’s lethal hobby and by Amon’s daughter Paula (Olivia Goschler), a teenager who consistently acts out and pushes the boundaries of her family’s privilege. Will the Maynards ever face consequences for their actions or feel guilt for their ways?
“Veni Vidi Vici” translates to “I Came, I Saw, I Conquered,” but when we begin with Amon and his family at the peak of their privilege, there’s no real threat or drama in their struggle. The Austrian satire has an intriguing premise that repeats itself over the course of the movie. Hoesl and Niemann film the majority of action and dialogue in wide shots, turning us into detached observers. The film is even narrated by the teen daughter Paula like it’s a chore. With so much detachment and with so many movies exploring the absurdities of wealth, “Veni Vidi Vici” can’t raise our pulse.
Content Information
“Veni Vidi Vici” is currently not rated, but includes scenes of gun violence, suicide, and nudity.
“Veni Vidi Vici” General Information
| Directors | Daniel Hoesl of and Julia Niemann |
| Screenplay By | Daniel Hoesl |
| Date Released | January 25, 2024 |
| How To Watch | Film Festival – Sundance Film Festival |
| Genre(s) | Comedy
Non-English (Austrian) |
| Film Length | 1 Hour, 25 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Not Rated |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Amon Maynard | Laurence Rupp |
| Paula Maynard | Olivia Goschler |
| Viktoria Maynard | Ursina Lardi |
| Volter | Dominik Warta |
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Amon Maynard (Laurence Rupp)
Amon Maynard is an eccentric and charming billionaire with a taste for blood. He lives free of punishment but seems to be actively searching for a contender worthy enough to take him down.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Barbarians.”
Paula Maynard (Olivia Goschler)
Paula is Amon’s teen daughter from another marriage. She narrates the movie with a particular disinterest in the story she’s telling. Two subjects that do peak Paula’s interest are her deceased mother and the prospect of going hunting herself.
Viktoria Maynard (Ursina Lardi)
Viktoria is Amon’s wife. When Amon shares that he wants another child, she’s horrified by the thought and upset about what a pregnancy could do to her body and her career.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The White Ribbon.”
Volter (Domink Warta)
Volter is an independent journalist who seeks to expose the Maynard family. His investigation leads him to know Amon is behind their town’s murders, but his frustration lies with the very few people who will do anything about it.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Trouble with Being Born.”
Collected Quote(s)
“Ethics or whatever. Ethics- what a waste of time.”
“Veni Vidi Vici” Review
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
Highlights
Blocking, Costuming, and Shot Composition Turns “Veni Vidi Vici” Into a Waking Nightmare
“Veni Vidi Vici” isn’t dramatic with its violence. The murders unfold in wide shots, as if the viewer witnesses the crime from across the street. The menace and threats usually take place against gorgeous backdrops of greenery, and the monsters are usually dressed in white or like they’re ready for an Easter lunch. “Veni Vidi Vici” establishes that while this elite family may smile and laugh every day, their joy comes at the cost of your safety. The juxtaposition of bright, wide shots and the sudden bursts of violence convey a waking nightmare where we too can get attacked anywhere we go.
On The Fence
Premise Feels Repetitive With Little New to Say
When a movie starts with a murder, that’s a hook that seizes your attention. In “Veni Vidi Vici,” random shootings occur throughout with no consequence or enrichment to the plot. While this demonstrates the point the movie’s trying to make about privilege, it makes that point in the first five minutes of the film. “Veni Vidi Vici” comes on the heels of other satires like “Succession,” “White Lotus,” “Triangle of Sadness, “The Menu,” and even last year’s “Infinity Pool,” about wealthy people paying to see themselves die. The movie’s voice gets lost in the discussion.
No Drama Makes a Dull Viewing
If you take a moment to just think about the logistics of crime in “Veni Vidi Vici,” the plot starts to fall apart. From the jaded police officers to the number of missing people that Amon must have killed, “Veni Vidi Vici” doesn’t suspend disbelief because it’s a movie where bad people do bad things in the end. Amon’s composure is only broken for a brief minute at the end, and without real, proper build-up or feeling like the stakes are being raised, we become as detached as the family committing the crime.
Good If You Like
- Dark satires and films that satirize the rich.
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