If we have learned anything watching our two previous movies it is that
whatever the era, there are always people willing to fight for the rights to
oil. It is used everywhere: in cars, factories, heating, you name it. When it
is actually used so much it feels somewhat strange how rarely you hear that
one day oil might be running out. When this day comes I truly hope that we
are well equipped to handle it and the transition work has been done well
ahead and that for example solar power can be used to replace some of those
fossil fuels that we use now. Of course I live in Finland so when it comes to
solar energy, I guess we are pretty much doomed especially when the winter
is coming, but hey, it's not the time to be selfish here when the whole
world is at stake. We must act responsibly and think about the next
generations that will some day live on this same planet. Are we going to
invest in future so that the following generations will have a chance like we
had or are we going to live so extravagantly that we are in fact borrowing
from our children?

These are some powerful thoughts that I'm going to discuss when Oil Conscious
Film Review reaches its final chapter and reviews "Czech Taxi 37". The film
begins with a chauffeur immediately fading into the view. He is a taxi driver
from Prague, not quite like Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle in the eponymous
Martin Scorsese film, but one who has to earn his dineros somehow. After all,
driving a cab is a decent job. You are actually providing a service to people
and that is not something that De Niro has been doing by starring in those
Meet the Parents-movies although its sequel "Meet the Fockers" is almost doing
that by providing me a quite a hilarious segue to this review.

As the story of Czech Taxi 37 unfolds, we quickly learn that the taxi driver
is the story's antagonist. He is driving the streets of Prague aimlessly
without having a fare and wastes valuable gasoline provided to him by
his employer. Whilst driving he notices a young woman who is looking for a
transport to Haje. Haje, which in English translates to 'groves', is a perfect
metaphor that speaks of green values and untouched nature. Being the young
starry-eyed idealist, she would prefer public transport that is cheap,
economical and environmentally friendly way to travel, but while she waits for
the tram she is tempted by this modern day siren of a taxi driver who
loathes her idea and even promises to take her to Haje for free. For a young
business management student this is of course too good offer to refuse.

And so begins this long gasoline-wasting Odyssey from Prague to Haje that
is certainly not without its temptations. While the characters engage in
mundane conversation topics similar to what we are used to seeing in Quentin
Tarantino's films we are constantly being reminded that this form of transport
cannot be as environmentally sound as the alternatives. The seatbelts have
not so subtle 'Turbo' texts in them and there's a sticker on the door saying
'Znecisteni Vozidla' that anyone with basic working knowledge of either Czech
language or Google translator will associate to vehicle pollution.

Like Ulysses is sidetracked on his journey to Ithaca, so are our foils here.
The taxi is stopped and what happens next is difficult to describe. Some kind
of Greco-Roman wrestling match ensues and no Trojans are involved. We are once
again reminded of the wastefulness as the engine is idling the whole time.
Considering how many people have died for oil you would expect a little more
respect for it. It is thought provoking that there has even been wars because
of oil. But our generations doesn't care about it and the underlying metaphor
"make love, not war" is visually acted to perfection, even if the film in the
end becomes slightly repetitive. Oil is soon running out and there is no
need to wage wars for it. Besides what happens after that? To quote our
perplexed taxi driver: I don't know.

It doesn't matter since it looks like everyone is going to be fucked anyway.

It's slightly amateurish to display the production company's name on the
screen during the film, but still this film is very shocking and provoking.
It's 4 gallons out of 5, folks.