Review: Matt Mungle @themungle

The Oscar nominated film WILD TALES opens in theaters this weekend. It is a collection of six short stories that are congruent not by characters but emotion and reaction to stressful situations. Unlike many films it does not try and tie them all together in the end. Each standalone segment is a power look at human nature and what some seemingly common people will do in uncommon circumstances.

In the vain of The Twilight Zone movie or Stephen King's Creepshow films WILD TALES offers up some pretty entertaining and at times shocking premises. From a jilted lover who plots against everyone who knew him, to a dad trying to cover for the sins of his son, to an engineer fed up with government beuarocracy; Wild Tales is a wild ride of energy, emotion, and at times some laugh out loud humor.

The movie earned an Academy Award Nomination for best foreign language film and is in Spanish with English subtitles. It shows that anger, frustration, and the human spirit is the same in any language. This movie could just as easily been made in America, England, or the far reaches of the planet and still been plausible. Granted most people would not go to the extremes that the characters in this offering do but it doesn't mean we haven't thought about it or capable of doing it if pushed to the limit.

Hopkins had a pretty easy role in the fact that he mainly stayed in makeshift holding room while the kidnappers awaited payment. He has some decent lines and he delivered them like the thousands in the past. He could have done this in his sleep but does manage to connect with the script when the camera pans to him. Mr. Heineken's driver Ab Doderer was kidnapped along with "Freddy". This role was one of the better in regards to emotional character development. David Dencik does a splendid job as a man trying to stay calm and not give in to the fear and panic of the situation. The conversations between Doderer and Heineken as the sit trapped across the hall from one another are some of the better in the film.

WILD TALES is rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality. The movie uses these adult elements to propel the story and characters. Honestly a film like this would not work without the content. It is intended for the over 21 crowd and those who enjoy seeing what other countries are producing. I give it 4 out of 5 Coca Lights. Of the six segments at least four are powerful and enthralling. A pretty solid bit of acting and script writing as well.

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122 min | Comedy, Drama, Thriller