“Colors of Evil: Red” (2024) is a Polish crime thriller on Netflix, directed by Adrian Panek. The movie is adapted from the first book in a trilogy of the same name by Polish author Małgorzata Oliwia Sobczak. The title of the trilogy is “Colors of Evil,” with each book distinguished by a different color: Red, Black, and White. The film boasts a cast led by the ever-reliable Maja Ostaszewska and the up-and-coming Jakub Gierszał. The film takes viewers on a suspenseful journey as a determined prosecutor teams up with a grieving mother to uncover the truth behind a series of brutal murders.
Cast With Characters
- Helena (Maja Ostaszewska): Monika’s sorrowful mother, is determined to uncover the truth about her daughter’s fate.
- Leopold Bilski (Jakub Gierszał): a prosecutor, stands by her side, convinced that Monika’s death holds deeper secrets than initially revealed.
- Zaneta Kaleta: Previous victim of a similar crime.
- Jakubiak: Fiance of Zaneta Kaleta, suspected initially.
- Monika: Murder victim, daughter of Helena and Roman.
- Roman: Monika’s father.
- Kazarski Lukasz: Owner of the Shipyard Club, a key figure suspected of involvement in the murders due to his abusive behavior towards Monika.
- Waldemar Mila: Monika’a boyfriend who was an Employee at Shipyard Club.
- Spider: A corrupt colleague of Bilski’s, whose allegiance to Kazarski complicates the investigation and introduces internal conflicts.
- Tadeusz Dubiela: A forensic expert entangled in covering up his son’s crimes.
- Mario: Tadeusz Dubiela’s son, who was infatuated with Monika.
These characters play various roles in the plot, from suspects to victims to investigators.
Plot Summary
“Colors of Evil: Red” is the story of a young girl named Monika who dies in a gruesome way because she was involved in drugs and associated with dangerous individuals. It starts with her murder being discovered and is then followed by a deepened narrative brought about by diversified flashbacks.
Her mother Helena, whose heart is broken as a result of her daughter Monika’s death, continues to seek the truth together with Leopold, an attorney who suspects that maybe Monika’s death had more than just what it seemed like. This Polish crime drama adeptly manages all its various aspects to make for an absorbing and enthralling encounter. Despite having numerous characters and subplots, the movie does not lose focus on the major storyline.
What Happened To Monika?
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The body of a young girl was found floating in the water. Dr. Tadeuz Dubiela from the forensic department went there to investigate it. Prosecutor Bilski came and asked his colleagues if they had collected any information about the incident and who could have done it.
The deceased, a young girl named Monika, had been killed in a very brutal way. The brutality of what happened to her was massive because her lips were cut off and her genitals were also damaged. It looked like an act of sexual violence, but there was no DNA evidence found at all. They deduced that the criminal was some kind of expert who did not leave any traces behind.
Prosecutor Leopold Bilski first believed that this might be perpetrated by a psychopath who is not acquainted with the victim but killed the girl out of sick pleasure. This led him to discover that 15 years earlier, another victim called Zaneta Kaleta had been murdered in a similar manner. Jakubiak, who used to be Zaneta’s fiance, got convicted for this crime and has recently served his sentence.
Jakubiak became suspicious when Bilski visited his house for questioning. Jakubiak was desperately trying to prove his own innocence. He showed Bilski the engagement ring he bought for Zaneta, insisting that he did not murder her yet claiming that he had been set up by authorities.
Bilski, after the interrogation, was unsure if Jakubiak was responsible for Monika’s murder. Jakubiak, now at the police station, realized he had no alibi and believed the authorities wouldn’t let him go easily. Overwhelmed, he did the unthinkable—he jumped from the window of the building and died. He couldn’t take the pressure of the accusations anymore.
Who Is Kazarski And Why Is He A Suspect?
Just before ending his own life, Jakubiak gave Bilski an important clue: to go to the Shipyard Club and speak with people working there. Bilski then went first to Monika’s parents, Helena and Roman, at their home to see if they could remember anything about the club. Roman claimed he didn’t know anything, but Helena interrupted and revealed that their daughter worked there. This contradictory statement made Bilski even more curious.
On his arrival at the Shipyard Club, Bilski found that it belonged to Kazarski Lukasz. He was surprised even more when he discovered that all legal matters concerning this club were handled by Roman. The fact that Roman knew more than he would say was clear to Bilski, but nothing concrete showed any connection between him and his daughter’s death.
Kazarski Lukasz was a man of dangerous intentions. When he found out that Monika worked at his bar, he declared to everyone that he intended to make her his wife, regardless of her feelings. Kazarski’s obsession with Monika was unhealthy and violent. He physically abused her in horrific ways, which made it easy to suspect him of her murder.
Who Killed Waldemar Mila?
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Another key character at that bar was Waldemar Mila, who was close to Monika. When Mila realized his boss liked Monika, he stepped back from her to avoid any problems. He promised her that he would do what he could in order to save her from Kazarski, but he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Meanwhile, Kazarski found out that someone had been stealing his drugs and selling them to the Russians. In a brutal show of power, he killed the thief in front of Monika and other colleagues, severing the man’s lips as a warning.
It reached a point in “Colors of Evil: Red” where everything pointed towards the fact that Kazarski killed Monika. However, this turned out not to be the case. Helena decided to collect evidence on her own, with which she hoped she would get some answers about her daughter’s killer. She survived one visit to the club, where someone tried drugging her drink.
Bilski therefore traced Waldemar Mila, hoping for information from him. Unfortunately, before Mila could say anything, Bilski’s friend Spider came and shot him dead, as seen by their own eyes. Bilski felt angry because if only they had gotten something out of Mila, they might have put Kazarski away for good.
It later became clear that Spider was working for Kazarski, although Bilski and his team didn’t take immediate action against him.
Why Did Roman Help Bikski?
An unexpected twist happened when Roman decided to hand over proof to the law enforcers against Kazarski. Because he had worked so closely with Kazarski, he knew about the ill treatment that had been done to Monika. He pleaded with him not to touch his daughter again and offered to go on working for him. This decision by Roman implies that he is desperate for justice for Monika.
Having received this evidence, Bilski started moving towards arresting Kazarski. However, when they arrived at Kazarski’s home, it was evident that someone had cleaned the house thoroughly, as if anticipating the raid. However, Bilski discovered a chain made of human flesh, which connected Kazarski to another murder, Zaneta Kaleta’s. Various crimes were admitted by Kazarski, but he always denied having killed Monika. This denial bothered Bilski, making him think there is more than meets the eye in this case.
“Colors of Evil: Red” Ending Explained: Who Really Killed Monika?
Towards the end of the film, the truth came out, and it was clear that Kazarski was without doubt not guilty of Monika’s death. As crazy as he may have been about her and as abusive as he might have been towards her, she did not die by his hand. He made Monika’s life a living hell, motivated by his obsession with her, especially after finding out that she planned to report him to the police. His reaction was to intensify her suffering, but he never took away her life.
Desperate for help, Monika turned to Mario, the son of Tadeusz Dubiela. Mario was deeply infatuated with Monika and wanted to be intimate with her that night. Monika, however, felt uncomfortable and resisted his advances. She knew about the affair between Tadeusz Dubiela and her mother, Helena, which made the situation even more complicated and morally troubling for her. Despite her protests, Mario refused to stop. He became violent and, in a fit of rage, banged Monika’s head against the floor multiple times. Although Mario did not intend to kill her, the injuries she sustained were fatal.
Mario was really remorseful about the whole thing and wanted to surrender himself to the police. Nevertheless, Tadeusz Dubiela, his father, intervened Dubiela, who was experienced in dealing with dead bodies, devised a plan to dispose of Monika’s body without leaving any evidence. He decided to frame Jakubiak, who had recently been released from prison, as the scapegoat. This would divert suspicion away from Mario and himself.
Meanwhile, in another development at Dubiela’s house, Helena saw Monika’s unique ruby ring. Mario had deliberately left it there, hoping that Helena would find out everything about the matter. When Dubiela realized that Helena was getting closer to the truth, he told her everything. He indicated that the death of Monika wasn’t a planned murder but rather an accident. At the same time, Bilski also realized during this moment that Mario was accountable for Monika’s death. But by the time Bilski arrived at Dubiela’s house, Dubiela had already committed suicide, unable to face up to what he had done.
Mario decided to confess his crimes at the police station as a final expression of remorse. He was tormented by guilt and haunted by visions of what he had done to Monika. Thus, even though he could have concealed his participation in crime, his conscience impelled him to own up. It is possible that Dubiela experienced some kind of strange pride in the fact that his son confessed just before dying. Mario understood that a life sentence would be torturous, but he chose to bear the consequences of his deeds. Even if he had to lose his freedom, he wanted to do it right.
When the investigation was over and justice was served, Bilski went back home where he found his family waiting for him. Reflecting on the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing loved ones, he remembered his promise to Helena. He gave his daughter a tight hug, realizing that nothing in life should be taken for granted. The experience left him with a renewed sense of appreciation for his family and a deeper understanding of the complexities and tragedies that people can face.
