Rzeszów has probably never hosted a film premiere like this one before. Big emotions, spectacle, and international guests — all because of the movie Rage of Stars, directed by Łukasz Róg.
A great dream, courage, extraordinary determination, and a fair amount of luck — these seem to be the ingredients that helped an amateur filmmaker win the trust of so many people. Indeed, almost everyone involved in the project who spoke at the premiere or in interviews emphasized the same thing: it was Łukasz’s attitude, his infectious passion and sheer perseverance, that convinced them to come on board.
After all, it was no small undertaking, and certainly not without risk. The ambition was to make a film in the American mold, one that aspired to the scale and spectacle of Hollywood productions. The only problem? Instead of Los Angeles, there was Rzeszów. Instead of a crew of 300, there were around 30 people, most of whom had little or no experience in filmmaking. The budget amounted to just 2 million zlotys — roughly $500,000. And to top it all off, the director and screenwriter was a newcomer, with this being Łukasz Róg’s feature-length fiction debut.
And yet, against the odds, the project attracted producers and film enthusiasts from around the world, willing to take a chance on this cinematic adventure. The team even secured a distributor, enabling the finished film to reach audiences not only on Prime Video in Poland but also on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV, and Canal+ in more than 60 countries.
Rage of Stars is not your typical action movie. In spirit, it is closer to Sicario — a film the director himself cites as an influence — blended with the kind of psychological and apocalyptic cinema associated with Michael Bay. Its protagonist, Jemma, is an operative with the international special unit ISOP. When she begins experiencing disturbing visions, the world around her is increasingly overtaken by events that defy rational explanation.
There is a clear creative vision and an idea here. Róg is quite good at staging individual scenes, often approaching them with an almost music-video sensibility. And while they may not be particularly groundbreaking or original, they deliver the kind of spectacle the film promises: helicopter chases, wolves roaming the streets, and horned demons. There is genuine potential for an intriguing story, too, although the screenplay could certainly have used another round of work. Some of the dialogue is hard to sit through — perhaps there was too much improvisation? — while several plotlines are left underdeveloped, making the narrative feel disjointed.
At its core, it is a simple story: darkness and violence take over the world, where corruption, manipulation, brutality, money, and power reign supreme. By turning a blind eye to it all, humanity becomes unworthy of being fought for. Beneath the chaos lies a reminder that life is our most precious possession, and that love and taking care of others are ultimately what matter most — and what may give us a chance to survive.
Ultimately, the film’s shortcomings seem to stem more from a lack of experience than from any lack of imagination or ambition. In the context of today’s vast cinematic offer, Rage of Stars will not revolutionize the industry, but neither is it a film its creators need to be embarrassed by. For a debut born out of determination, limited resources, and a distinctly Hollywood-sized dream, that is quite a good job.
What the director has certainly managed to convey is a strong sense of brotherhood. You can feel from the screen just how close-knit the team is and how deeply everyone has committed themselves to the project. According to what the creators shared at the premiere, they have all grown very close and are eager to work together on future projects. The actors still keep in regular contact to this day and are ready to support any idea Łukasz comes up with. And who knows, perhaps we really will welcome them all back before too long. The producers have already pledged their support for the next film, so it seems the American dream really is coming true in Rzeszów…
tekst: Karolina Marciszewska
fot. Agnieszka Majchrowicz
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Original title: Rage of Stars
Polish title: Wściekłość gwiazd
Country of production: Poland
Genre: Sci-fi, Action
Director: Łukasz Róg
Cast: Andrea Tivadar, Jord Knotter, Jack McEvoy, Elijah Rowen, Małgorzata Klara, Mayu Gralińska-Sakai, Jakub Ormaniec
VOD release date: October 16, 2026
Distributor: Galapagos Films
SYNOPSIS:
In the near future, the world is descending further and further into chaos. An officer in an elite special operations unit begins experiencing terrifying visions that gradually destroy her career. She soon discovers that these visions may hold the key to solving the mystery of the children’s unexplained disappearances—and to understanding the impending catastrophe that threatens all of humanity.