I had the opportunity to watch a pre-release screening of this movie during a film festival in Guanajuato and I'm pleased to say this was the most impressing movie I saw there.
This is definitely one of the best contemporary Mexican films... if we consider that this is the director's first long feature, it becomes a masterpiece.
With a budget of only 1 million dollars, the movie still delivers great film-making, an excellent, suspenseful plot and awesome characters.
Unlike most Mexican films these days, this movie isn't about social criticism, uncalled-for violence or tortuous, fairy tale-ish love affairs... this is a thriller, and a good one at that. The purpose of the movie is keep you in suspense for 2 hours and it delivers what's promised.
It'll still take you trough the corruption in the justice system, the obsession of a photographer and the political consequences of the ETA organization's activities... this movie is shades of gray all the way trough: think of the classic film-noir atmosphere from the 40s, adapted to a modern-day metropolis like Mexico City.
Jose Luis Gutierrez is definitely a director worth keeping an eye on, and with this first attempt so well done and original, I can see him becoming an icon of Mexican film-making.
This is definitely one of the best contemporary Mexican films... if we consider that this is the director's first long feature, it becomes a masterpiece.
With a budget of only 1 million dollars, the movie still delivers great film-making, an excellent, suspenseful plot and awesome characters.
Unlike most Mexican films these days, this movie isn't about social criticism, uncalled-for violence or tortuous, fairy tale-ish love affairs... this is a thriller, and a good one at that. The purpose of the movie is keep you in suspense for 2 hours and it delivers what's promised.
It'll still take you trough the corruption in the justice system, the obsession of a photographer and the political consequences of the ETA organization's activities... this movie is shades of gray all the way trough: think of the classic film-noir atmosphere from the 40s, adapted to a modern-day metropolis like Mexico City.
Jose Luis Gutierrez is definitely a director worth keeping an eye on, and with this first attempt so well done and original, I can see him becoming an icon of Mexican film-making.
