Seems like the overwhelming tide of reviews I'd read were mixed or negative, minus one external review from a sci-fi website that praised it. Also the film won a best film award at the Cancun Film Festival, so my hopes were a little raised that at least it would be halfway decent. I also tend to take the bulk of Mexican public reviews with a grain of salt, as they're often a bit reactionary to films that throw social criticism towards modern Mexican society (case in point: the harsh reviews of Gael Garcia Bernal's directorial debut, Déficit).
I'll touch on the good points first: SFX were pretty well done. The futurist/steampunk redesign of Mexico City was OK, maybe a bit too over- the-top given the film only takes place 23 years into the future, maybe rips-off on much of "alternate/future Earth" sci-fi but still, it was a high point of 2033. The basic premise of the film also I though was great...which I won't elaborate on to avoid giving away spoilers.
However, how the details of story actually play out, well...it leaves a lot to be desired. The vision of future is so narrowly focused on Mexico, so narrowly plotted around one social issue that certainly will turn off a lot of folks, very simplistic. The characters likewise are one-dimensional. The acting and directing really most fitting for a telenovela/soap opera and commercials...cuts were very obvious to take out the worst moments but the final product is mediocre.
The film proves that once again, you can glitz up a film and try to market it as cutting edge, you can have a great idea for plotting, but in the end if your story is weak, poor/mediocre acting, amateur direction....well, it really falls flat in the end. Some of the best Mexican movies I've seen so far have been more bare-boned which maybe leads for more innovation on the directing floor, asking more of everyone for a better, more interesting film.
I'll touch on the good points first: SFX were pretty well done. The futurist/steampunk redesign of Mexico City was OK, maybe a bit too over- the-top given the film only takes place 23 years into the future, maybe rips-off on much of "alternate/future Earth" sci-fi but still, it was a high point of 2033. The basic premise of the film also I though was great...which I won't elaborate on to avoid giving away spoilers.
However, how the details of story actually play out, well...it leaves a lot to be desired. The vision of future is so narrowly focused on Mexico, so narrowly plotted around one social issue that certainly will turn off a lot of folks, very simplistic. The characters likewise are one-dimensional. The acting and directing really most fitting for a telenovela/soap opera and commercials...cuts were very obvious to take out the worst moments but the final product is mediocre.
The film proves that once again, you can glitz up a film and try to market it as cutting edge, you can have a great idea for plotting, but in the end if your story is weak, poor/mediocre acting, amateur direction....well, it really falls flat in the end. Some of the best Mexican movies I've seen so far have been more bare-boned which maybe leads for more innovation on the directing floor, asking more of everyone for a better, more interesting film.
