Totem

Totem

Year: 2017

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: Polish

Director: Jakub Charon

Crime

Following his release from prison, Wild finds work as a goalkeeper at a nightclub where his girlfriend, Dagmara, performs as a dancer. Driven by ambition and a desire to escape poverty, he looks to his brother Igor, a powerful gangster, as an example. Igor wants to shield Wild from his criminal enterprise. When Dagmara becomes pregnant and a dancer is violently assaulted, Wild seeks revenge. Drawn into the city's illicit drug trade, he plans a robbery with Igor's help, leading to escalating gang warfare and a spiraling cycle of retribution.

Totem (2017) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Totem (2017) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a gritty urban landscape where neon lights flicker over damp streets, a recently freed convict tries to rebuild a life that feels perpetually out of reach. Wild lands a job as a goalkeeper in a bustling nightclub, a world that pulses with music, sweat, and the unspoken promise of swift escape from the shadows that have always lingered behind him. His girlfriend, a magnetic dancer named Dagmara, moves through the crowd with a fierce determination that mirrors his own yearning for a future free from the grip of poverty.

Family ties pull the duo in another direction, as Wild looks up to his older brother, Igor, a figure both revered and feared for his place at the apex of the city’s criminal hierarchy. Igor offers a complicated mix of protection and caution, trying to keep his brother away from the darker currents that define his own power. Their relationship is a delicate balance of admiration, rivalry, and an unspoken agreement that the line between loyalty and self‑preservation is razor‑thin.

The film breathes a tense, electric atmosphere, blending the raw energy of the nightclub’s backstage world with the hushed, menacing undercurrents of the city’s illicit networks. Each character walks a tightrope: Wild balances his desire to rise above his past with the temptation of quick, dangerous gains; Dagmara channels her ambition through performance, ever aware of the fragile stability of their shared dreams; and Igor navigates the paradox of shielding his brother while steering his own empire.

Through moody cinematography and a soundtrack that oscillates between pulse‑pounding beats and low‑key whispers, the story invites viewers into a world where every step forward could be a step deeper into the maze of retribution. The tension builds around choices that could shape destinies, leaving the audience poised on the edge of a precarious, ever‑shifting moral landscape.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:52

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Crime spirals of ambition and revenge like in Totem

Characters lured into a criminal life seeking escape, only to be consumed by it.If you liked Totem's story of a man drawn into gang warfare despite his brother's efforts to protect him, you'll find similar movies here. These crime dramas feature protagonists whose ambitions for a better life lead them down a dark path of escalating violence and bitter consequences, echoing the feel of Totem.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a protagonist, typically motivated by ambition, poverty, or a desire to protect loved ones, who enters the criminal underworld. Initially seeing it as a solution, they soon find themselves entangled in a web of obligations and violence. Their attempts to control their situation or seek revenge only accelerate their descent, leading to inevitable tragedy and loss.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared exploration of the corrupting influence of crime and the inescapable nature of violent cycles. They share a dark tone, heavy emotional weight, and a steady pacing that builds towards an intense, often bleak or bittersweet conclusion, focusing on the psychological toll of the criminal life.

Movies about the burden of protection like Totem

Stories where shielding loved ones from danger leads to catastrophic consequences.This collection features movies similar to Totem, where characters grapple with the heavy responsibility of shielding their family from harm. If you were captivated by Igor's attempts to protect Wild from his criminal life and the tragic outcomes that follow, you'll find compelling parallels in these emotionally heavy, dark-toned dramas.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative revolves around a protector figure, often an older sibling or parent, who tries to insulate a loved one from a dangerous environment or their own flawed choices. Their methods of protection—secrecy, control, or involvement in the very danger they seek to avoid—create tension and often backfire spectacularly, pulling the person they wanted to save deeper into the fray and leading to shared tragedy.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a focus on familial bonds strained by external pressures and well-meaning but misguided actions. They are united by a dark, oppressive mood, high emotional stakes, and a steady pacing that builds towards a climax where the act of protection itself becomes the source of the conflict.

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Totem Summary

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Totem Summary

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Totem Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Totem

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Totem

More About Totem

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