In Deliler (2018)—translated as The Mad Ones—the Ottoman Empire sends its most fearsome warriors on a mission not of conquest, but of vengeance. Set in the late 15th century, the film follows seven elite soldiers known as the Deliler, a brotherhood of fiercely loyal, battle-hardened men who answer only to Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. When reports emerge of horrific atrocities committed by Vlad the Impaler—ruler of Wallachia and sworn enemy of the Ottomans—the Sultan sends the Deliler across the Danube. Their mission: deliver swift and brutal justice, and to strike fear into the heart of a man who drinks terror like wine.
Each warrior is more than a soldier—he is a symbol of myth and madness. Gökkurt, the leader, carries the burden of war in his haunted eyes. Aşgar, the giant axeman, has the strength of ten men and a silence that unnerves his enemies. Alongside them rides Suskun, the blade dancer; Çebi, the loyal archer; and Balaban, the fire-keeper whose bombs speak louder than his words. Together they ride across forests soaked in blood and rivers that whisper the names of the dead. The cinematography is epic and brutal, with panoramic shots of burning villages, snow-covered battlefields, and the towering shadow of Castle Poenari—Vlad’s fortress of nightmares.
As the Deliler move deeper into enemy territory, the mission becomes personal. They rescue captives destined for impalement, witness unspeakable cruelty, and feel the eyes of Vlad’s spies tracking their every step. Vlad Tepes himself is portrayed as a chilling, almost supernatural presence—charismatic, sadistic, and utterly ruthless. His black armor and pale face stand in stark contrast to the wild, earthy strength of the Deliler. Through ambushes, betrayals, and acts of raw heroism, the Deliler carve a path of fire and steel. But their strength is not just in swords—it’s in brotherhood, in faith, and in the unwavering belief that justice must be louder than fear.
In the climactic siege on Vlad’s fortress, the Deliler face overwhelming odds. The castle is defended by monstrous mercenaries and surrounded by forests of impaled corpses. One by one, the Deliler fall—not as martyrs, but as warriors who never stopped fighting. In the final battle, Gökkurt faces Vlad in a duel that becomes a clash of ideologies: chaos versus discipline, cruelty versus mercy, vengeance versus righteousness. When the blade falls, it's not just the death of a tyrant—it’s a message to history: even in the darkest times, courage burns brighter than fear. Deliler (2018) is more than historical fiction; it is a cinematic blood-oath—honoring the bravery of those who ride into darkness so others may walk in light.
