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Film: The Past Is A Foreign Land
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 127 mins
Director: Daniele Vicari
Starring: Elio Germano, Michele Riondino, Chiara Caselli, Valentina Lodovini, Marco Baliani
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Vita
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
Although still in the fledgling era of his directorial career, Daniele Vicari takes on a challenging narrative in the form of the classic good-guy-meets-bad-crowd in The Past Is A Foreign Land. Despite a not so original premise, Vicari endeavours to explore the dishonesty of the subterranean gaming world, and the moral abandonment of the players involved.
Set in the southern Italian city of Bari, the film follows the story of Giorgio (played by the compelling Elio Germano), a straight-up law student from a well-off family who support his ambitions to the full, forever throwing money at him, whether he requests it or not. With girlfriend in tow, Giorgio appears readymade for greatness.
Giorgio’s life takes a turn when he meets Francesco (Michele Riondino) at a party. Francesco lives a charmed life as a swindling card-sharp, having learnt various twists and tricks to assist in conning fellow poker players out of vast amounts of cash. “We challenge fate and we beat it,” is Francesco’s retort of rationality when Giorgio becomes aware of his dark intentions.
Like clockwork, and perhaps as expected, a downward spiral is just around the corner, as Giorgio’s priorities switch from the pursuit of academic success to chasing the quick buck. Loved ones fall by the wayside as the new version of Giorgio begins to take hold, but the extent of the havoc Francesco wreaks stretches far deeper than dodgy card games and flash cars, towards an astonishing and disturbing drug-fuelled climax…
Rather commendably, Vicari employs only characters that are paramount in telling the story. From Giorgio’s mother, and her disappointed parent routine, to the tempestuous nature of his indignant father, through Francesco’s multiple-personality disorder, and ultimately, the psychological breakdown of Giorgio - every character; every look; every conversation has a purpose. Nor does Vicari waste any time with unnecessary scenes or dialogue, refusing to pay any homage to Bari as a setting, instead diving unapologetically into the narrative from the first minute to the very last.
Elio Germano and Michele Riondino deserve much credit for bringing the script to life. The two anti-heroes bond like long-lost brothers, with conversations regarding morality of particular focus throughout. As Francesco slowly manipulates Giorgio’s previously honest demeanour into something far more menacing, and, more importantly, into someone he can use for his own financial benefit.
The methods utilised to con fellow poker players at the table, coupled with the constant danger of someone discovering what they are up to, raise the level of intrigue, and make the opening hour of the film slightly more compelling than the second. However, one minor complaint is Vicari’s reluctance to really focus on the card games. Too often Giorgio and Francesco come away from games with several thousand Euros, but we have witnessed only one key hand, and in too many cases we only hear the characters talking about the cards or the winning hand, rather than being shown.
The second half of the film, whilst devoting itself entirely to the psychological and moral breakdown of the two leads, is more than watchable, but it is clear that we are not supposed to be comfortable with what we see. Whereas earlier in the film, Giorgio’s conscience would often pipe up at any sign of trouble, Francesco is able to stretch the boundaries of morality much further, while Giorgio remains worryingly quiet. As Vicari takes the film to the point of no return, it becomes clear that fans will be won and lost in the final shocking twenty minutes.
Atmospherically, Vicari has constructed something impeccably eerie, particularly in the latter stages, as he toils with the darkest aspects of the human psyche. Although it is arguable that The Past Is A Foreign Land ends up in a slightly far-fetched place, the two leads succeed in maintaining our interest in their final fates. MC
Film: Ong Bak Trilogy
Release date: 11th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 312 mins
Director: Prachya Pinkaew, Tony Jaa, Panom Yeerum & Panna Rittikrai
Starring: Tony Jaa, Supakorn Kitsuwon, Dan Chupong, Sarunyu Wongkrachang, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Genre: Action/Adventure/Crime/Fantasy/Martial Arts/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Thailand
Not since 1991 and Jet Li’s Once Upon A Time In China has a martial artist broke through with the sort of critical and public appreciation that Panom Yeerum enjoyed with his debut Ong-Bak. Although now known as Tony Jaa, to better associate himself with international audiences, the Muay Thai and Tae Kwon Do specialist went on to produce two more Ong Bak features. No-nonsense, action films that attempted to make his name synonymous with the likes of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan - the influential kung fu stars he grew up admiring.
Ong-Bak (2003)
As Ting (Tony Jaa) proves himself as the best athlete and martial artist in the reclusive village of Ban Nong Pradu, Thailand, a gang from Bangkok arrive wishing to purchase the sacred Buddha icon (named Ong-Bak) that the village has possession of. When the villagers refuse, claiming the statue is worth more to them than any monetary value, the gang steal the artefact in the dead of night, leaving Ting as the best possible means of reclaiming it.
Sent into the country’s capital, Ting finds himself awed by the concrete jungle and the attitude of the cities inhabitants, in particular that of his cousin Humlae. Humlae, once belonging to the village has dyed his hair blonde and, with his female friend Muay Lek, has fallen in with a bad crowd of drug dealers, street gangs and illegal betting dens.
Upon discovering that the Ong-Bak statue is now in possession of a crime lord, Ting and his two new friends must enter the dangerous realm of the kingpin’s underground fighting den to earn the chance to win back the village’s prize possession…
An unabashed action fest, director Prachya Pinkaew shoots a grim, sepia-toned tale that while not necessarily unique in the plot - designed to set up the action, and aimed specifically to impress the viewer with the style and prowess of Jaa’s Muay Thai skills. The direction is impressive and belies the relative cinematic inexperience of Pinkaew as he smoothly cuts the high-octane carnage together. Doing so in an immensely slick manner, without over loading the viewer with strobe-like interchanges of camera angles, Pinkaew always manages to keep choreographic perspective, meaning the audience can follow and enjoy the martial arts sequences, which is paramount in a film of this genre.
However, the competent direction and actually engaging storyline aside, it would be naïve not to think of this an immense juggernaut of a vehicle for Jaa’s ability, who co-choreographed the action. Tony Jaa undertakes all the stunt work himself throughout the film, as all self-respecting martial artists do, but what sets Ong-Bak apart from its contemporaries is the wireless ‘high wire’ acts. That is to say Tony Jaa pulls off some remarkable moments, from flying knees to the face to running across the shoulders of countless henchmen, without any assistance - putting his body on the line with every stunt.
It is this raw unadulterated feeling of danger and authenticity that makes Ong-Bak such an entertaining rollercoaster ride. Not simply this, but with other prominent martial artists like Jet Li and Jackie Chan having migrated to Hollywood, Jaa gives this genre’s enthusiasts a new hero to champion.
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning (2008)
Initially suspected as being a sequel, it was announced Ong Bak 2 was not simply a prequel to Ong-Bak, but to be set five centuries previous. Set as an historical epic with an injection of fantasy, Tony Jaa plays Tien, the energetic and enthusiastic son of a noble lord and warrior.
Despite desperately wishing to emulate his father, he finds his natural unyielding spirit curbed - instead of being taught martial arts, he is unwillingly forced to learn dance. However, his life is thrown into ruins as a treacherous warlord, who is seeking to enthral all of Asia under his tyrannical rule, sends assassins to massacre his rivals.
Escaping the bloodshed with a desire for revenge burning deep in his heart, Tien, while searching for his persecutors, is captured by slave traders. After punishment from his captors, which includes an encounter with an oversized crocodile, Tien is rescued by a group of outlaws who promise to train him in the ways of various martial arts from across the Asian continent so that he may exact his revenge on the despotic lord…
Unlike with the initial instalment, the story reneges on its gritty realism for a showy troupe into the annals of Thai history. Tony Jaa, not content with being the film’s acting protagonist takes the helm behind the camera, and perhaps this can be attributed to some of the misgivings the viewer may have while watching this peculiar numerical sequel and historical prequel.
For all his capabilities as a martial artist, his qualities as an actor are still questionable, and it seems as if the director is aware of this fact. The dialogue in Ong Bak 2 is notably absent, and, as a result, it makes it a difficult task to further the plot, but, more importantly, difficult to associate with what little development Tien goes through. It is also worth noting that any ‘development’ is undertaken by the actor playing Tien’s younger self, as opposed to Mr. Jaa himself. With such limited dedication to character, it makes the revenge saga seem unfortunately contrived, leaving the viewer mentally tuning out, simply awaiting the next action sequence.
Accompanying Tony Jaa in the co-directors chair is the co-choreographer from the first Ong-Bak film, so it is unsurprising that a film with such little verbal communication finds its efforts focused on some impressive martial arts sequences. As always, Tony Jaa is exceptional in his leading role as a glorified stunt actor, and the addition of more varied fighting styles and weaponry from across Asia creates more diversity and, in places, more excitement than its predecessor.
While Ong Bak 2 is a technically superb in its fighting creativity, undoubtedly from the co-directors’ dedication to their martially artistic passion, it suffers from a severe lack of attention and disregard to something as integral as character development. Ong Bak 2, unfortunately, proves to be less of a film than its forerunner, and more of an exercise in ‘showing off’ Tony Jaa’s undeniable talent.
Ong Bak 3 (2010)
Following immediately from the conclusion of the previous instalment, Ong Bak 3 starts with a captured Tien being tortured and beaten by his captives. The imprisonment is brutal as he is struck repeatedly with kendo sticks and choked with bamboo, on top of a plethora of human physical abuse.
To prevent any further attempts at escape, the bones in his arms and legs are broken, and he is prepared for execution by Lord Rajasena, the man responsible for his family’s death. However, Rajasena is experiencing his own problems, and disposing of Tien is proving to be the least of his worries. It transpires a curse has been placed upon the king, and he must call upon the dark powers of the shaman Crow Ghost to aid him.
However, the Crow Ghost himself has his own motives for abetting the king, while Tien, in his continuing goal to seek revenge for the death of his father, finds his fate increasingly linked to the carved sculpture of an Ong-Bak head…
The issues from which the second film suffered are only exacerbated in the concluding instalment. While it would be amusing to entertain the prospect that individuals watched Tony Jaa films for award-winning scriptwriting, the increasingly disconnected nature of the story, and undeniable lack of cohesion and conclusion in the plot’s progression is alarming. The introduction of irrelevant characters and some questionable plot devices, which are highly ill designed, can only be endemic of the increasingly isolated control of the film’s production, directing and writing Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai are enjoying.
What proves to be the film’s downfall is that which you normally expect to be the saving grace of a Tony Jaa film: the action is bizarrely lacking. Jaa himself doesn’t feature in any combative form until deep into the film, leaving the action burden to be entirely shouldered by an amicable Dan Chupong, who does well to cover in Jaa’s absence - but his is not the name that headlines the poster.
Tony Jaa was reported as having severe mental and financial issues during and after the filming of Ong Bak 2, and the problems seem to have affected him in quite a noticeable way. His usual trademark death-defying, highflying sequences are disappointingly absent, and it wouldn’t be overly critical to state that there isn’t a single jaw-dropping exchange in the entire film. The choreography in the wider scheme of things isn’t terrible, but in the context of it being a Tony Jaa film, it comes across as being simple, repetitive and lamentably mediocre.
Ong Bak 3 just about concludes this two-part saga in a way that is befitting with the overall vibe of Tony Jaa’s work, even if there is a slight disturbing feeling that this was created to recoup previous costs, more than create a climax.
Given Tony Jaa has recently joined a Buddhist Temple to live the life of monkhood, this film may be the last, for a while, in which you’ll be able to view his martial artistry – unfortunately, it doesn’t leave viewers eager for a possible return to filmmaking.
The Ong Bak Trilogy is less a collection of winding plot twists and intense character relations and more of a rollicking compilation of Muay Thai, weaponry and moments of wireless breathtaking. While the quality of the cinematic work decreases the further into the trilogy we venture, there are still plenty of thrills, spills, bone-crunching and blood-spilling to intrigue the most ardent martial artist aficionado. When Jaa fails it only infuriates because he is so talented. BL
Film: Tintin And The Mystery Of The Golden Fleece
Release date: 18th October 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 98 mins
Director: Jean-Jacques Vierne
Starring: Georges Wilson, Georges Loriot, Jean-Pierre Talbot, Milo, Charles Vanel
Genre: Adventure/Drama
Studio: BFI
Format: DVD
Country: France/Belgium
With the impending Hollywood version of Tintin, helmed by industry giants Spielberg and Jackson, on the horizon, set to re-ignite worldwide interest in the Belgian boy detective, canny studio execs have wasted no time in releasing to DVD the two lesser known live action versions from the 1960s, one of which is Tintin And The Mystery Of The Golden Fleece. Comic book creator Herge (who reputedly hated the well loved animated series) allegedly gave his seal of approval.
Tintin And The Mystery Of The Golden Fleece sees Tintin, his long time companion Captain Haddock and his faithful dog snowy travel to Istanbul to collect an old ship which has been bequeathed to Haddock in his old shipmate’s will. They arrive to find the ship – The Golden Fleece - a dilapidated wreck, but none-the-less of extreme interest to a local businessman, who offers Haddock increasingly extravagant bids to buy the wreck for “sentimental reasons.”
Suspecting the ship to hide treasures beyond its broken-down appearance, they decline his offers and decide to keep the ship. Aided by a scurvy crew, they set sail to Athens, following a stipulation of the will to deliver some carpets, and along the way have to dodge several mysterious attempts on their lives. Helped at points by their friends Professor Calculus and the twins Thompson and Thompson, they travel around Europe attempting to solve the mystery of the strange old boat...
You would think it would be hard to go wrong with the thoroughly likeable character of Tintin, but somehow the irrepressible boy/man with the blond quiff made flesh is here a slightly creepy incarnation. The actor inside the blue jumper and plus-fours is Jean-Pierre Talbot, who – so the story goes – was spotted as a Tintin look-a-like whilst teaching fitness on a beach in Belgium, and was subsequently introduced to Herge who gave his approval. Talbot brings to the table the peculiar addition of deft martial-arts abilities, and, like many things about this film, it just doesn’t feel right. Seeing Tintin effortlessly dispatch bad-guys with Bruce Lee-like dexterity is a somewhat disturbing image.
Everybody tries their best with the wooden dialogue and flimsy set pieces, and nobody tries harder than Georges Wilson as Captain Haddock - Wilson’s performance is nothing if not energetic and committed, but someone should have told him that louder doesn’t necessarily mean funnier, and after half-an-hour his manic screaming at the top of his lungs barely raises a smile. It’s not long before his antics become outright annoying.
Where The Golden Fleece succeeds in spades is in nailing the iconic imagery. You can’t deny that – down to Tintin’s blond quiff, Haddock’s bushy beard and Calculus’s green suit - Vierne has nailed the look and feel of Herge’s world perfectly, and anyone remotely acquainted with the original comics will have a great time spotting all the familiar characters. Even Tintin’s faithful fox terrier Snowy is a dead ringer, although sadly the dog’s dry monologue from the comics has been jettisoned for this re-telling.
Tintin And The Mystery Of The Golden Fleece would have worked fine as a twenty minute cartoon, but in its conversion to the big screen most of the magic from Herge’s original comic has been sadly sucked out. The plot, such as it is, appears to have been made up on the fly, and is little more than a thin excuse to have Tintin and his companions travel seemingly at random from location to location around the Mediterranean on the flimsiest of pretexts. Often the story grinds to a halt entirely and we are treated to unrelated, often surreal, ‘comedy’ interludes which are clearly nothing but filler. Also thrown into the mix are a few scenes involving animals, which are slapstick verging on cruelty, and come across as seriously unfunny.
It didn’t work in 1980 for Popeye when Robin Williams tried his hand at the cartoon-to-live action game, and it doesn’t work for Tintin. Sadly, despite Herge’s endorsement, Vierne’s attempt to bring the well-loved young reporter and his canine companion to the big screen is less French farce and more French flop. Except for some fun reminiscing with the strong imagery, this is one for diehard Tintin fans only. LOZ
Series: Naruto Shippuden Box Set 3
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 325 mins
Director: Hayato Date
Starring: Chie Nakamura, Junko Takeuchi, Noriaki Sugiyama, Akira Ishida, Hideo Ishikawa
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan
Naruto Shippuden Box Set 3 focuses on the continuing adventures of Naruto and Team Kakashi in the mature sequel to the original long-running Naruto anime. Picking up from episode 27 in season one, Impossible Dream, and running through to episode 39 in season two, Tenchi Bridge, this thirteen episode DVD box set highlight Starz’s attempt to transferring Naruto’s incredible popularity in Japan to the UK by focusing on the more adult adventures of the Kazekage gang.
Naruto and Kakashi Sensei are still on the hunt of Deidara, who is carrying Gaara’s prone body. Meanwhile, Sasori and Sakura are at lethal loggerheads, with Granny Chiyo caught in the middle. Sasori perishes, but not before letting slip that he arranged to meet a spy at Tenchi Bridge in ten days time.
The members of Team Guy are still battling their clones, and finally triumph with an unusual strategy. Kakashi uses his inter-dimensional warping technique, Mangekyo Sharingan, on Deidara but only succeeds in displacing his arm. However, this is sufficient for Naruto to retain Gaara’s body.
With Gaara seemingly dead, the group begin to mourn their loss. Granny Chiyo, seeing Naruto’s grief at the loss of his comrade, decides to use a Life-Transfer jutsu to resurrect Gaara. Once Gaara is revived, Chiyo dies whilst remembering her training and passing down her wisdom and teachings to Naruto. Simultaneously, in Konoha, the mysterious Danzo briefs Sai on his covert mission working for Team Kakashi.
Back at the Leaf Village, Lady Tsunade fights for Naruto’s right to be a member of Team Kakashi. Kakashi himself is recuperating in the infirmary after using such a powerful jutsu, so the calm but dangerous Yamato is recruited as Team Leader in his absence, and Sai added to the team in order to go to Tenchi Bridge and potentially confront Orochimaru. Sai and Naruto are immediate enemies, and Yamato and Sakura must do all in their power to keep the team together as the Tenchi Bridge confrontation draws nearer…
Naruto Shippuden Box Set 3 covers both the end of the Gaara hostage story arc, and the start of the new Team Kakashi story arc. Of the two, it is certainly the second which holds the interest more, providing more adult content in terms of political manoeuvring behind the scenes in the Leaf Village, and character heavy content, as the new additions to the main cast, Yamato, Sai and Danzo, clash to varying degrees with our established favourites like Naruto and Tsunade.
Disc one covers the end of season one, with episode 27, Impossible Dream, being set mainly in one location, with the standoff between Chiyo, Sakura and Sasori reaching its violent conclusion. A three-hander episode, it is impressively handled by director Date, and has a satisfying payoff with Sasori’s fate. In contrast, the next episode skips between scenes at a hyper speed, as various members of Team Guy battle their clones. This episode really shows off the animators’ skill, as the battles reach their climax simultaneously in a thrilling conclusion – although the solution that Neji comes up with in order to triumph is stretching the limits of credibility even by Naruto’s standards. However, there is plenty of fighting here to keep the more action-orientated fans happy.
Episode 30, Aesthetics Of An Instant, is the highlight of these backend of season one episodes, with emotion and action not only balanced perfectly, but also in a restrained fashion - a problem that has plagued both Naruto Shippuden and its earlier incarnation. The scene where Granny Chiyo sacrifices herself for Gaara is a genuine tearjerker, and it also heralds the return of the large Kazekage group scenes, a narrative feature that Naruto does so well, if, unfortunately, so rarely.
Sadly, the final three episodes of the season – and story arc – suffer by comparison, as they also have nowhere to go plot-wise, and the writers can be accused of treading water until the Kazekage return to the Leaf Village. However, the last five minutes of season one is a real treat for both longstanding Naruto fans and newcomers, with both the return of old favourites, such as Shino, Kiba and Akamaru, and a cliffhanger season-ending battle which utilises fantastic paintbrush animation surely inspired by the computer game Okami.
However, it is with the introduction of the Naruto surveillance and new Team Kakashi story arc at the start of season two that the narrative really shifts up a gear. Naruto has always relied on its older characters to add a bit of dramatic weight to proceedings, and with Lady Tsunade, Yamato and Danzo getting in on the action, there is a great deal more political intrigue and Machiavellian motivation going on to please the more mature Naruto fan. The instant dislike between Sai and Naruto is expected but entertaining nonetheless, but it does lead to a cringing ‘rapport building’ episode set in a Japanese bath house, which is the worst of these batch of episodes by a long distance due to the high comedy content - not a genre which the Naruto writers are adept at on this showing. The overall tone in these season two episodes is a lot darker than those preceding it, which bodes well for the future of this more adult TV sequel.
The intro music and animation is decent, and does get you excited for the show to a reasonable degree, but doesn’t hold a candle to other anime efforts such as Death Note and Full Metal Alchemist. The animation throughout is of a high standard, with the battle scenes infrequent but well done.
DVD extras are sparse, with just production art and trailers available. One final note: stick to the subtitles, as the dubbing is reliably awful.
Naruto Shippuden is shaping up nicely judging by this volume of episodes. Whilst still aimed squarely at the early teen market, older anime fans may find the increased adult content piques their interest. Long-time Naruto fans will no doubt be in heaven. If slightly more effort had been made with the DVD presentation and extras, this set would have been indispensable. As it is, it is merely recommended.
Series: Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit - Part 2
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 150 mins
Director: Kenji Kamiyama
Starring: Mabuki Andou, Naoto Adachi, Kouji Tsujitani, Ako Mayama, Rintarou Nishi
Genre: Anime
Studio: MVM
Format: DVD
Country: Japan
Something of a multimedia phenomenon in its native Japan, the Moribito (“guardian”) series is a sprawling, ten novel saga which has proliferated in other formats, notably radio, manga and TV. Conceived by author Nahoko Uehashi, the fantasy franchise recounts the derring-do of warriors, wizards and kings in the mystical kingdom of Yogo. This anime adaptation of the premier instalment in the series introduces the epic’s key players, translating the novel into a meaty twenty-seven episodes. MVM’s second 2DVD set contains the latter thirteen chapters - allowing fans left on tenterhooks midway through the series to conclude this engrossing yarn. Comprehensively visualising a mythic world of yore, Moriboto is an anachronistic fable that powerfully resonates with the present – and into the future.
Resuming where episode thirteen, ‘Neither Human Nor Tiger’, halted, we find our motley band of heroes in flight from the imperial army.
Heir to the Shin Yogo throne, Prince Chagum has been mysteriously possessed by the spirit of an ancient water demon, the Nyung Rochanga. Fearing the reincarnation of this mysterious beast, the emperor orders his liquidation. But before the assassination occurs, Chagum’s mother, the empress, intervenes, enabling his escape. Balsa, a lethally proficient female bodyguard – a yojimbo – is enlisted as his mother-protector, pledging to save the young prince.
Banding together with mystic weaver Mistress Torogai and her apprentice, Tanda, this quirky duo must evade the emperor’s minions, whilst divining the truth behind Chagum’s affliction.
As episode fourteen commences, a palace scholar, Shuga, begins an illicit probe into the official archives. To his horror, he learns that the nation’s founding myth – the slaying of a Nyung Rochanga by its founding monarch – is a lie. The fabled monster is actually a sacred water spirit; integral to the well-being of the land. Realising that the prince’s curse may be an obscure blessing, he investigates his assumed demise – ultimately proving that Chagum lives. Aided by the king’s elite guard, Shuga is promptly dispatched with orders to scour the kingdom and return with the youthful aristocrat – and kill his would-be benefactors if necessary…
Director Kenji Kamiyama’s ability to skilfully develop a chimerical premise is convincing. An anime veteran who scripted the much admired Blood: The Last Vampire before graduating to direct cyberpunk opus Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex for television, his restrained, conventional style comfortably embeds the phantastic in a familiar framework.
Easily intelligible, Kamiyama’s two-strand narrative mainly intercuts between pursuers and pursued - rarely extending beyond these nuclei. There’s little technical flamboyance on show, though later incidents where Chagum drifts between two dimensions are pleasingly surreal, composed with uncanny juxtaposition. Action scenes, when they do materialise, are tense and (perhaps due to their rarity) thrilling, particularly a climactic battle against the egg-eating hordes of Rarunga. Such spectacular intermissions are, however, secondary to the inexorable momentum of the plot. Thus relegated, visual flair becomes secondary to strong characterisation – which is where the series truly excels.
This is a powerful ensemble piece, significantly enhanced by its expressive voice cast. Cohering around the possessed Chagum, alpha female Balsa and demure partner Tanda are the ‘parents’ in an improvised, skewed nuclear family. As the series progresses, their backgrounds and convictions are incrementally revealed – resulting in a moving finale. Tanda’s love for Balsa, her soul saving conviction, and Chagum’s rendezvous with destiny are deftly interwoven, retaining a crucially humanistic emphasis amidst a beguiling backdrop of magic and intrigue.
Moriboto’s world is elemental: split between the trinity of fire, earth and water. But, behind this atavistic conceit lurk contemporary concerns which imbue it with modern relevance. Conflicts between duty and desire. and the erosion of cultural traditions are but two of several quintessentially Japanese topics explored. Infused with more than a hint of the nostalgic remorse that is a leitmotif in the works of Studio Ghibli, the series also offers a pensive mediation on man and his relationship with the environment.
Nhaji birds, regrets Torogai, have become much rarer since civilization started “working steel.” Even in its pre-industrial epoch, Moribito’s characters are conscious of environmental decay; a sentiment particularly profound in a Japanese context. Transcending feudalism, industrialising and entering the hi-tech vanguard within a mere 150 years, Japan’s dizzying evolution has irrevocably changed its cultural and material landscape. In Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke, the ecology is sustained by a fragile equilibrium between man, nature and the spirit world. Kamiyama’s cosmos is similarly governed by a delicate balance of forces, which man, in his myopic ignorance, imperils. For all their knowledge and expertise, it is clear that his characters are subject to larger forces – environmental and magical – which they cannot comprehend. There is clearly an underlying system, a prophecy and pattern, to its divine machinations – but this remains elusive. Even the most erudite of our protagonists, Torogai and Shuga, are privy to only fragments of the puzzle.
The solution, it seems, may be buried in our past. In a subtle critique of cultural imperialism, the true nature of the water spirit is divulged through the lore of the Yakoo, a people whose traditions are in a terminal state of decay, supplanted by official history. Excavating lost archives, star reader Shuga discovers the orthodox legend to be a cynical manipulation. It is only through archaeology, and the hidden wisdom of folklore, that vital knowledge is gleaned, and redemption delivered. Cultural heterogeneity is vital if we are truly to know – and perhaps redeem – ourselves.
Moriboto is a meticulously paced epic that creeps up on the viewer before enwrapping them in its boa-like grip. Eschewing tawdry cliff hangers, Kenji Kamiyama’s rock-solid direction and moving characterisation ultimately proves compelling. A classical, linear narrative shrewdly counterpoints the exotic backdrop of Shin Yogo – an understatement that renders this touching parable all the more tangible. Whilst lacking the bravura style of visceral classics such as Ninja Scroll, the instantly likeable cast of spirit-guardians rouse an affection that amply compensates. Heroically tackling big – some might suggest timeless - themes, this stimulating, accessible package should enthral die-hards and dilettantes alike. DJO
Film: True Legend
Release date: 25th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 115 mins
Director: Yuen Woo-ping
Starring: Chiu Man-cheuk, Zhou Xun, Michelle Yeoh, Feng Xiaogang, Andy On
Genre: Action/Drama/History/Martial Arts
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD & Blu-ray
Country: China
Considering some of the classic films Yuen Woo-ping has made over the years, and the sudden and bizarre death of David Carradine following his role in the film, the box office failure of martial arts film True Legend would have come as something of a surprise. Now that the film seems to have signalled something of a resurrection in the career of Vincent Zhao, Woo-ping will be hoping that the film can prove more successful on its DVD release.
True Legend tells the story of Su Can (Zhao), a general of the Qing Dynasty who leads a military group to save their prince from death at the hands of his enemies. To show his gratitude, the prince offers to make Su Can Governor of Hu Bei. Su, however, refuses, saying that he would prefer to live peacefully with his wife and start a family, suggesting instead that his brother in law Yuan Lie (Andy On) be made governor.
Years later, Yuan returns to their home, kills Su Can’s father who has raised him as his own, and kidnaps his sister, Su’s wife Ying (Zhou Xun) and their son, Feng. Su battles with Yuan, but is not strong enough to compete with his new Five Venom Fist technique, and is thrown into a river and left for dead.
When he eventually recovers, he and Ying, who leapt into the river after him, realise that if they ever want to see their son again, Su must train harder than ever and become strong enough to defeat his former friend…
There is a lot to like about the premise of True Legend, featuring as it does many of the ingredients of a classic martial arts film. Yuan’s increased skill upon his homecoming has suggestions of the student out-learning the master; Su Can’s thirst for revenge fits well with the genre’s recent penchant for vengeance films; and the idea of a friend and brother turned bitter enemy seems to never grow old. However, with its Freudian overtones and questions of morality, True Legend seems to bring more ingredients to the recipe than many other similar films. Unfortunately, while these elements are brought up, they are rarely elaborated on, and fade away in favour of a new fight scene, which can prove irritating, at times - just when the story is beginning to become interesting, it veers off in another direction.
The most glaring example of the film’s poor structure is that it reaches its logical and highly effective conclusion while there is still half an hour left, meaning almost a third of it seems as though it has been stuck on to make up screen time. If more time had been taken in looking at the emotional and physical journey undergone by Su Can, in order to reach the climactic battle with Yuan, then the film could have been far more powerful.
Visually, True Legend could best be described as inconsistent. While Woo-ping does make good use of some glorious scenery, the film’s CGI looks cheap and laughably unrealistic. During fight scenes, the editing is jerky and annoying, which is surprising as the rest of the film is fairly polished visually. The fight scenes are difficult to assess, as they do provide some exciting, fast-paced action, yet are not as artistically innovative as the director clearly intends. Woo-ping has clearly been influenced by the gravity defying action of recent successful martial arts films, but while he aims for Crouching Tiger, it comes out looking more Mortal Kombat. This needn’t necessarily have been a bad thing - as the fight sequences are intense and violent - if Woo-ping had kept the action rooted in a more realistic format.
The standard of the fight scenes, and indeed much of the film, is raised considerably by the performances of the two male leads. As Su Can, Vincent Zhao brings emotion, heartache and a real sense of physical prowess to the role. He does an excellent job of displaying the conflicted nature of Su Can’s character, making him believable both as the decorated military leader he begins as, and the pathetic drunk he eventually becomes. Andy On, too, deserves high praise for his portrayal of Yuan Lie, providing a genuinely threatening and disturbing villain, even if he does look a bit like the grim reaper from Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. Indeed, at times, the performances of both men are so good that they seem out of place amongst all the silliness that is going on around them - this surely is an indication that, with a little more careful plotting and less extravagant ideas, True Legend could have been a far better film.
A frustrating film that never quite becomes as ridiculous as it sometimes threatens, but fails to deliver the promise that its strong cast and interesting premise provide. True Legend is an enjoyable enough watch, but fails to join the ranks of the genre’s recent classics. PK
Film: Tintin And The Blue Oranges
Release date: 18th October 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 96 mins
Director: Philippe Condroyer
Starring: Jean Bouise, Jean-Pierre Talbot, Félix Fernández, Jenny Orléans, Ángel Álvarez
Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Family/Sci-Fi
Studio: BFI
Format: DVD
Country: Belgium
As Spielberg and Jackson’s 3D performance-capture epic nears ever closer to release; BFI have decided to raid the vault and unleash this 1964 live action version of Herge’s blonde-haired adventurer.
Professor Calculus makes a televised plea to end world hunger. Later, he receives a desert grown blue orange through the post, which is then subsequently stolen. Along with Tintin and Captain Haddock (and Snowy, of course), he attempts to visit the orange’s creator, Professor Zalamea - but he has been kidnapped.
Calculus is then also kidnapped, and Tintin and Haddock investigate, with Interpol agents Thomson and Thompson in hot pursuit…
The International success of the Tintin books is phenomenal. He is undisputedly one of the true comic book icons. And as with most worldwide phenomenons, he’s had his share of cash-ins - Tintin And The Blue Oranges is one such. A sequel to 1961’s Tintin And The Golden Fleece, it is not surprising that no further (live action) sequels were made.
Although the colour palette and tone are just about right, the production comes across as cheap. Most offensively, it comes across as dull. A bastion of ‘boy’s own’ action-adventure-mystery, Tintin should be exciting, tense and fun. However, this interpretation (an original story not pulled from the books) achieves none of this. The comedy isn’t funny, the action isn’t stirring, the adventure is staid and the mystery…well, who cares?
Of course, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it would be pretentious to view this as anything more than a live action comic book. Those under the age of 10 might be amused by the OTT nature, but the rest of us won’t find much other than mild annoyance.
Jean-Pierre Talbot, the only actor reprising his role from the previous film (his only two film performances), has a strong physical resemblance to Herge’s hero, and also does a decent job of portraying his boy scout-like tenacity, but, unfortunately for him, Tintin is such a bland do-gooder that it requires a much stronger actor to endow any likeability in the character.
Similarly, Jean Bouise’s Captain Haddock, a cantankerous old drunk, should hold the screen easily with his acerbic tongue and strong line in angry rants. But again, beyond a beard and prosthetic nose, little effort has been put into building his character. Bouise spends most of his time mugging for the camera, and indulging in uninspired slapstick.
Little seems to be of consequence as our heroes swan around Valencia at a leisurely pace, getting into arguments and slow(-witted) chases like they’re on a night out in Leeds.
Perhaps those who saw Tintin when they were young will be overcome with nostalgia and lord knows we all have films like that in our collection. But they (and their kids) are the only ones who will get any genuine enjoyment from this dire effort. If all Spielberg and Jackson have to do is better this, they’ve got an easy job ahead of them. SEAN
Series: Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 125 mins
Director: Koichi Mashimo
Starring: N/a
Genre: Anime
Studio: MVM
Format: DVD
Country: Japan
Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1 consists of the first five episodes in the thirteen-part Japanese anime-style television series. Each episode focuses on different aspects and themes, with the titles: Sinner, Conquest, Love Song, Genius and Prisoner.
Manji (Tomokazu Seki) was a samurai warrior serving an evil master. When Manji decided to rebel against and ultimately kill his master, however, he also killed 100 fellow warriors who remained committed in their servitude.
Looked upon as a beast and a monster for his actions, Manji is haunted by his deed, and is referred to as Manji “with the 100 killings” wherever he goes. Blessed (or cursed) by an ancient mystic woman with immortality, Manji protects his fragile sister Machi from harm, even while dealing with the dilemma that he killed her husband as one of the 100 killings.
However, in a confrontation between Manji and another bitter rival, Machi dies at the hand of her brother’s vicious foe. In his grief, and as a way of penance for his murderous acts, the unconventional samurai warrior vows to redeem himself by killing 1000 evil men, whilst seeking an end to his curse of perpetual life in order to die an honourable death.
On his travels, Manji meets Rin (Mela Lee), a girl who seeks revenge for her father’s murder at the hands of the notorious Itto-ryu dojo group. Together, Manji and Rin strike out against the dojo and its followers in a trail of blood and brutality, as they seek the members of the group responsible for the reprehensible crime committed against Rin’s family…
The anime style of Blade Of The Immortal is hugely effective in evoking a sense of Japan in the time of the samurai, in addition to the levels of bloodletting and violence that comes with the territory of being a warrior. Indeed, there is a level of detail and often macabre beauty in the animation that brings a strange sense of hard-hitting realism to events, even in the midst of ultraviolent deaths and fight scenes. In many ways, the pain of the characters – even the immortal Manji suffers – can be felt in the brutality of the visuals. Splashes of blood red are common throughout the episodic series, in some cases highly contrasting with dark, almost black-and-white backgrounds to create a semi-chiaroscuro effect. For instance, this is used to startling effect in Rin’s flashback sequences in recalling her father’s death, and in the opening blood-spraying sequence of episode four.
The interaction of Manji and Rin is central to the story of Blade Of The Immortal, and the continuing theme of Manji acting as Rin’s protector in the wake of his sister’s death is an engaging and often touching element. There is a clear story arc for Manji as the story progresses, and he grows to truly care for Rin, such as in episode five where he fights a shockingly formidable opponent to win back the stolen sword of Rin’s father. However, the interaction between Manji and Rin is also prone to cliché, where some elements of the dialogue (“will Manji save the girl, or will the girl save him?”) and Rin’s seemingly constant flashbacks to her past can occasionally grate when viewed as a whole.
Yet there are many hugely intriguing and engaging moral questions raised by the characters in Blade Of The Immortal, and a sense of spirituality that is again wonderfully evocative of Japan in the era of the samurai. Manji as the ‘immortal’ of the show’s title is a complex hero, who bears the weight of a dark past filled with regrets and bad deeds. He is a man immersed in his search of spiritual enlightenment and atonement for his sins, where he even wears the sign of a swastika (a symbol with a deep spiritual meaning in Eastern culture) on his back. At one stage, Manji says to Rin that he must know who is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ before striking out at evil, when Manji himself is equally capable of morally murky powers of destruction, also used by those he deems to be ‘bad’.
Of course, the main antagonists in the members of the Itto-ryu are overtly evil, where Manji has no qualms in setting about creating their destruction in honour of his pledge to himself and Rin. In one of the standout sequences of the series, in episode three, Rin comes across the man responsible for killing her father. This is a hulking warrior in full fearsome samurai regalia, and when he is unmasked, it is revealed that he is wearing the heads of his ex-wife and another person who was close to Rin - both stapled to his shoulders as sadistic mementoes of death. The killer has fallen for Rin to the extent that he wants to kill her as an ultimate “expression of love” (even going as far as to promise to remove his former wife’s head and replace it with Rin’s on his shoulder); an example which highlights the sheer darkness of this tale of emotional anguish and retribution in an effectively gruesome way.
Blade Of The Immortal - Volume 1 is an anime series well worth following. In spite of some clunky dialogue and clichéd elements (and, as a sidenote, quite frankly irritating title and end credit theme songs), the show also raises a great deal of intriguing moral and spiritual questions. It is also a visually superior production, bringing to life the brutality of the ways of the samurai as well as highlighting the moral dilemmas of one who is capable of destruction whilst on a path to enlightenment. DB
Film: D'Artagnan's Daughter
Release date: 4th October 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 125 mins
Director: Bertrand Tavernier
Starring: Sophie Marceau, Philippe Noiret, Claude Rich, Sami Frey, Jean-Luc Bideau
Genre: Action/Adventure/Comedy
Studio: Second Sight
Format: DVD
Country: France
The words “I shall avenge you” conjure up images of Star Trek, or Dr Lazarus in Galaxy Quest who is farcically tormented by that phrase. Its inclusion at the start of D’Artagnan’s Daughter sets the tone for this luscious period romp through the French countryside. Dumas’ Musketeers ride out again in this adventure. Although their breeches are somewhat straining at the seams these much loved characters of literature are as endearing as their previous incarnations. This time though they have an addition to their number.
The story revolves round Eloise, a young girl living at a convent. She has been left there to be raised by nuns whilst her father D’Artagnan is in service to the King of France.
The convent is disturbed one night by a search party pursuing a runaway slave. The search for him by his pursuers leads to the Mother Superior being killed trying to protect him. Eloise (Marceau) vowing to avenge her death finds a smudged document in the old nun’s personal things. Believing it to be highly important, as lives have been lost for its procurement, she must leave the safety of the convent and find her father the famous D’Artagnan (Noiret). She intends to present him with the paper believing him still to be in service to the young King Louis XIV, and therefore able to help her.
Can Eloise find D’Artagnan and reunite Aramis, Athos and Porthos to save the day and decipher the stained paper?
The film delivers on many levels. Fans of the modern day Hollywood pirate will love it; those who love traditional action romps will also adore it. The script doesn’t take itself too seriously, and instead focuses on delivering story and fun. This isn’t ‘carry on’, though; instead it echoes the balance of early Bond films, with action front and centre followed by entertainment, plot twists and turns. Many little humorous moments are asides, like D’Artagnan’s conversation at the side of the grave of his deceased friend - when he realises he was sitting on his friends head! The audience is in safe hands with Tavernier, the film feels warm and familiar.
Tavernier indulges his audience with long shots of sweeping French landscapes, galloping horses, picturesque castles, heavily wooded glades and beautifully imagined French towns. It is a sumptuous production which is aged only by camera technology rather than production. The cinematography is a joy, and there is a real sense of action and escapism in the film which comes in part from the pace with which Tavernier sets it. The sound of thunderous galloping hooves sets an audible rhythm to the piece, usually closing or opening scenes without a hint of Monty Python.
The costumes, which have such an integral role in any period piece, are also exceptional. Full skirts, which are allowed to become muddied in street fights; and the Musketeers faded breeches and belts, which have seen better times. The villainous woman in red, her role centred on her red costume, frequently enters the scene laden in sumptuous fabric, her menacing appearance seemingly every bit as essential as her dialogue.
The Musketeers are past their glory days, although inexplicably older than they should be. For fans of the original films, seeing the older Musketeers may be something of a wondrous return, but it doesn’t actually deliver all that it could. The physical prowess of the Musketeers may have waned, and certainly much is made of that fact, but their exploits seem hampered often by an overly complicated plot which does not need half of the villainous characters it portrays - the spoilt teenage Louis XIV, quick-witted; sinister Cardinal Mazerin; slave dealer Crassac; and the devious woman in red. Along with these primary villains, there are secondary villainous characters that seem to muddy the waters, and create a somewhat farcical atmosphere of chaos and slapstick. It could be argued that these characters could be halved without very much impact on the narrative, and would in fact aid the audience comprehension.
The father /daughter dynamic between Eloise and D’Artagnan is tricky, and although played well, specifically by Noiret, who shows his experience through the affability he creates, it often leaves an audience wanting some semblance of development or affection between the characters. Although she has been in a convent for most of her life, and Noiret and Marceau play their disagreements with conviction, there seems to be a lack of believability between the two characters, which is a real shame.
Marceau’s depiction of a wide eyed Eloise - although perhaps some might argue she is slightly too old for the role - is delightful. She brings energy to the character. It is well known that Marceau did most of her own stunts in the role, training in swordplay for two months prior to the movie shoot. This could go some way to explain why her rambunctious, cavalier demeanour as Eloise works so well.
The pace of the film often builds up to fight scenes, which don’t seem to have any real bite. This is possibly due to very similar fights, and also the older cast playing the Musketeers. The high energy exertions which are required for believable fight scenes are not matched by these Musketeers echoing their supposed younger days. It is almost impossible to see these men as the canny, heroic, unbelievably dexterous men of Dumas’ books, even twenty years later. Viewers have two choices; to either let this issue glide off them and enjoy the frivolity of the whole film, or get annoyed by the disappointment of these faded idols.
Despite its shortcomings, this is still great fun. It’s a film which will happily reside in any collection and will only benefit from countless viewings. It is a genuine joy, which doesn’t take itself too seriously - a perfect antidote to Hollywood’s on-going love affair with pirates. DHA
Film: A Town Called Panic
Release date: 22nd November 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 78 mins
Director: Stephane Aubier & Vincent Patar
Starring: Stephane Aubier, Jeanne Balibar, Nicolas Buysse, Véronique Dumont, Bruce Ellison
Genre: Animation
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Belgium/Luxembourg/France
A spin-off of the Aardman Animation backed series of shorts produced in Belgium, Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar’s French-language film version of A Town Called Panic is just as memorable and bizarre as its TV progenitor. The film is as low budget as they come, yet the lovingly created herky-jerky stop motion animation shines through the miniature plastic and papier mache backgrounds to create something quite unique.
The surreal plot (such as it is) of A Town Called Panic follows the comedic mishaps and calamities in the lives of a horse named Horse (Vincent Patar), a cowboy named Cowboy (Bruce Ellison) and an indian named, you guessed it, Indian (Stéphane Aubier).
Attempting to surprise the fairly sensible Horse for his birthday, dim-witted Cowboy and Indian attempt to surprise their equine friend by ordering exactly fifty bricks to build a barbeque. The only problem is that through a mishap in their online order, fifty-million bricks are ordered instead, where subsequently Horse and co’s house is flattened due to a stack of bricks being placed on the roof.
This kicks off a chain of events that sees the lo-fi animated trio go on a series of oddball adventures, ranging from freefalling towards the centre of the earth to being held hostage inside a giant snowball-firing mechanical penguin in a snow covered landscape, and chasing a family of underwater dwelling creatures who have built a house from the stolen walls of the three friends…
The biggest part of A Town Called Panic’s charm lies in its deliberately low-budget and rough around the edges appearance. In many instances, the plastic toy characters waddle along on a flat toy stand which keeps them upright (most comical in the cases of Cowboy and Indian). Indeed, the lo-fi charm of the whole painstaking stop motion production process is evocative of Aardman produced classics such as Wallace & Gromit (even if a little more crudely produced), so it’s no surprise that the company distributed the original television series preceding this feature-length version. The clever homemade ingenuity of directors Aubier and Patar (makers of the similarly styled Cravendale milk ads) is unmistakably present throughout the film, with the plastic and papier mache made miniature sets adding to the surrealism of the whole story.
As the brilliant animators at Pixar know well, there is great humour to be found in the interactions between toys brought to life. Except in A Town Called Panic these toy figures also live in a wacky world suiting their off-the-wall characters, where a horse can read a newspaper and drive a rickety car and a cowboy and indian can make online internet orders for fifty-million bricks. The central relationship between the toy trio is strangely endearing and hilarious, where Horse often plays the straight man (so to speak) to Cowboy and Indian’s often annoying, shouty stupidity.
The bizarre events that the friends go through are often frenetic in pace, and, as such, the 78 minute runtime seems to fly past from sequence to sequence. This means that what there is of a plot can often be confusing and hard to keep up with as a result; where one moment the toys are falling towards the centre of the earth and the next are landed in a desolate snowscape populated by animatronic giant penguins and angry mammoths.
However, Aubier and Patar never cease to make these events anything less than highly entertaining through the ingenious low budget visuals employed, particularly in the snow and water scenes (in addition to the fact that seeing a horse swimming underwater wearing a snorkel is just intrinsically funny). Indeed, the seemingly random and chaotic sequences of fantastic events that occur merely add to the film’s huge sense of fun. For instance, in one scene, in the underwater section, Cowboy, Indian and Horse pretend to be Santa and his helpers to lure the water people into a trap in order to retrieve back the walls for their house. The colours and actions of the animated characters are extremely well animated here, where the animators’ creativity shines through the obvious low-budget necessities. The fast pace and surrealism of events is perhaps even more admirable an achievement by Aubier and Patar when considering the notoriously laborious and time-consuming nature of stop motion animation.
The voice cast (including Aubier and Patar themselves) add a lot to the onscreen characters, from Cowboy and Indian’s high-pitched panicked chatter to the calmly seductive voice of Horse’s equine love interest Madame Longrée (Jeanne Balibar). The French voice cast is universally excellent, yet it is perhaps the voice of Steven (Benoit Poelvoorde) the next door neighbour of the main trio who steals the show with his permanently angry persona. This makes a scene where the underwater people invade his house even more comical, where the rapidly cried line “Oh no! My farm!” is bound to invoke at least a chuckle from the hardiest of souls.
A home-made slice of stop motion brilliance, A Town Called Panic is nothing more than 78 minutes of ingeniously produced joy. Perhaps a longer running time would be too much in the crazy world of Horse and friends, although the film is bound to raise laughs if only out of its sheer madcap inventiveness. DB
Film: Room In Rome
Release date: 18th October 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 103 mins
Director: Julio Medem
Starring: Elena Anaya, Natasha Yarovenko, Enrico Lo Verso, Najwa Nimri
Genre: Drama/Erotica
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Spain
This is an English-Language release.
Perhaps best known for Lovers Of The Arctic Circle (1998) and Sex And Lucia (2001), Basque director Julio Medem clearly has an abiding interest in love and sex. His latest film, Room In Rome, continues the theme, only this time he has chosen to focus on a lesbian one-night stand that takes place in a hotel room in Rome.
Room In Rome opens with Alba (Elena Anaya) and Natasha (Natasha Yarovenko) on a deserted street outside a hotel in Rome late at night, as seen from the balcony of Alba’s room. It is clear there is a strong, if slightly awkward attraction between the two women, and Alba persuades an initially hesitant Natasha to join her up in her room - even though they have only just met that evening, and Natasha makes it clear that she’s never been with a woman before.
Once in the room, they shed their clothes quickly – they remain off for most of the film - but then Alba falls asleep and Natasha decides to leave, only to return again shortly afterwards when she realises that she has left her mobile phone in Alba’s room.
What follows is prime art house erotica, coupled with Alba and Natasha sharing stories about their lives - some of them true and others fabricated or with details of their lives swapped around. We learn that Alba recently lost one of her children, and is an eco-aware Spanish engineer who is in a relationship with a Basque woman, and that Natasha, a professional Russian tennis player, is engaged to a man who was previously in a relationship with her sister.
Eventually, after much physical and emotional drama in the bedroom and the bathroom, Alba and Natasha discuss what it might be like to remain together, before parting ways…
Though it has been described as a remake of Chilean director Matias Bize’s 2005 film En La Cama, Room In Rome obviously has a very different dynamic in that it is about two women, rather than a man and a woman. However unusual this may be, there are several aspects of the film that are disappointingly predictable.
As characters, Alba and Natasha simply aren’t that believable, and never really come to life. It probably has a lot to do with the dialogue (mostly spoken in English, but with brief smatterings of Spanish, Russian, Italian and Basque), which often sounds stilted and lazily written - both characters often come across as little more than art house lesbian fantasy caricatures. In short, Medem, who also wrote the screenplay, has taken one impishly beautiful Spaniard with a complicated past, one strikingly beautiful blonde Russian with a complicated past and thrown them together in a lavish hotel room complete with soft lighting and old art.
The sex is not particularly convincing either, mainly since Medem seems to have focused almost exclusively on making it look picturesque. There is very little sense of intensity or passion, just one carefully choreographed, artfully lit set-piece after another.
Worse still, there is one laughably pretentious scene in the bathroom that tips Room In Rome over the edge into unintentional farce: a scene in which an arrow pierces Alba’s heart while she and Natasha are writhing around in the bath together. Cue much blood in the bath water, a dementedly giggling cherub dancing on the ceiling and…oh, wait, it was just an overblown flight of the imagination, a jolt of symbolic drivel. And the bit about the cherub dancing on the ceiling isn’t true, strictly speaking, though earlier in the film there are shots of painted cherubs aiming arrows from the bedroom ceiling.
It’s not all bad, though, and Jocelyn Pook’s beautiful soundtrack helps to prevent Room In Rome from lapsing into utter tedium. Similarly, Russian Red’s hauntingly simple song ‘Loving Strangers’, though overused, adds a sense of poignancy.
As far as the performances of Elena Anaya and Natasha Yarovenko are concerned, both fare reasonably well considering the ponderous dialogue they had to work with, but whatever chemistry there is between the two is hampered by an overwhelming sense that it was contrived by a male would-be auteur who is more interested in surfaces than substance.
There’s no doubt that Room In Rome will attain a certain cultish appeal as a result of its meticulously styled lesbian carnal activity, but its dramatic qualities are mediocre, at best, and its unlikely to add anything to Julio Medem’s reputation as an ambitious filmmaker. JG
