Voxitype
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
Jenna Walter
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Asad Almond
A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
Bantam
If you have an interest in Euroflicks, you should give this one a go.While the movie starts out as some sort of post-war drama with a pair of sisters living together after their parents both die. The mother died early, the father died presumably in the war.But the movie takes a quick turn to a slasher/King's Misery hybrid and does this quite well. It even manages to covey some dark humour here and there which suits the movie well. The cast is small and basically all the action takes place in one flat (this has to do with Montse's fear to leave the flat). But the director did use this "disadvantage" to make the movie a bit more intense.Even though the story is mostly predictable the end and the final conclusion is no happy end at all.All in all the acting is very good and Macarena Gomez does really well as a twisted character. (I've seen her in Sexykiller, where she showed some comedy talent, too) The movie is no revelation, but it is much better than some other flicks covering a similar subject. As said, if you are into Euroflicks, give this one a go.
alvareskrull
The movie is a mishmash of "Misery" (a male character trapped by the lover-hater) and a ancient and more than overused theme from Spanish cinema (the catholic family obsessed with sin and guilt). From "Misery" even the broken leg(s) and the intoxicating substance make an appearance. From the Spanish theme be sure to expect crosses, prayers, black dresses, physical punishment and the whole shebang. Nothing remarkable about that. On the contrary. Having watched the first few minutes of this movie, anyone will be capable of deducing its story line. From head to toe. Moreover there are no really interesting or original aesthetic features in it. A lazy camera work adds itself to a big pile of clichés: crazy ladies with some sort of supernatural strength, Christian images everywhere, a dark secret to be disclosed and, from some point on, blood, lots of blood. "Laziness be thy Sin."
Mozjoukine
It really is amazing that producer Alex de Iglesia has gotten so far without being a world celebrity film maker. This one is a quickie directed by a couple of his colleagues with unfamiliar players (Mrs. de Iglesea, the striking Carolina Bang, has a quite small part) and while it has a personality of it's own we can still see the macabre, master-crafted Iglesea style in it.We get one of his closed environments like the apartment block in LA COMUNIDAD or Resines' space ship in ACCION MUTANTE, here a flat in a fifties Spanish apartment block, which the camera never leaves. Shut in seamstress Gómez (who proves to have a scream queen background that includes a Stuart Gordon Lovecraft adaptation) terrorizes her younger sister, former child actress Nadia de Santiago, now at the age where getting out of the house to work has made her take an interest in boys. Then neighbor Silva falls down the stairs - and proves to have a secret of his own. Throw in religious fanaticism and morphine addiction.Gripping, perverse, bloody but not without rounded characters in the confusion. The great Luis Tosar is particularly imposing in his small footage.Giving us some idea of the shortness of the film critic memory a few writers have cited MISERY but no one seems to notice that it's retreading WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE.
PoppyTransfusion
Montse has hidden away many things, including herself, inside a run down apartment where she lives like a shrew in her nest. Her younger sister, whose name we never learn, lives with her and leads a relatively normal life under the care of Montse even though the latter is subject to rages and hallucinations. When the younger sister reaches 18 a crisis ensues in the sisters' relationship as Montse is aware that her influence over the girl is diminishing. Desperate to cling to the life she has established, the frail and violent Montse kidnaps her neighbour, Carlos, after he seeks her help following an accident. Some of the events are reminiscent of the film Misery.A stylish film that evokes the period well, the plot and reveals are predictable but the characters and the acting more than keep the film alive and engaging. Montse is played by an actress who looks as frail as her character's mental health. The younger sister is delicate but robust and Carlos is handsome and seductive. A supporting role for Luis Tosar as Montse's father is well done and Tosar lends a name to a relatively unknown cast. This film is the debut for the directors and it is a finely drawn psychological drama that borders on horror. Although the film is punctuated by moments of humour and beauty, the pathos of Montse's fate makes this a very poignant film. The reveal about Montse's relationship with her sister and the final scene underline how sad and heavy is the fate of both sisters.If you have the opportunity to see this film then take it. The film was delayed in production by Spain's financial woes. I hope these woes do not prevent the film getting international distribution.
