Makinavaja, el último choriso

Makinavaja (Andrés Pajares) and Popeye (Jesús Bonilla) are two small-time thieves that survive in the slums of Barcelona. Both of whom commit muggings and develop their curious philosophy of life along with the elderly rogue Matías ( Lazaro Escarceller) and Moromierda (Mario Pardo) . Makinavaja, el último choriso (1992) plots faithfully based in the original stories by Ivá.

Adaptation of the famous comic strips by cartoonist Ivá, author of other nice series like 'Historias de la Puta Mili' or 'Sor Angustias de la Crus'. It was featured with enormous success in a satyrical spanish magazine right until the author's death in 1993 by a car accident and generated a cult following that still exists. The humor of the series packs a critical approach to national issues , such as : Francoist period , politics, terrorism , social habits , and above all, its main characters's (Makinavaja or Maki) philosophy were the keys of its success . Makinavaja is a mixture of a thug, a vigilante and a philosopher, here is interpreted by Andrés Pajares giving an outstanding acting , he was the only one (along with Pepe Rubianes) that really captured the character spirit. Andrés Pajáres as Makinavaja is well accompanied by a good cast : Jesús Bonilla, Mario Pardo , Pedro Reyes , Carmen Conesa , Joan Potau, Albert Soler , Lazarao Escarceller , Silvia Solar and Mary Santpere as his prostitute mother in one of her last roles .

This Makinavaja supposes a different approach to the Quinqui cinema, which became popular during the 1970s and 80s. Firstly, because of the desire to turn the central character into a philosopher who thinks beyond what happens in the neighborhood. It contains a slang that is not funny, some situations so absurd and seedy that they are not enough to make us laugh, a rhythm that becomes very leaden and ultimately a film that is not good for laughing . The motion picture was middlingly directed by Carlos Suárez . Rating : 4.5/10.

Because of the success Makinavaja, el último choriso(1992) , it was versioned in theatre, film and TV with different results. Followed by : ¨¡¡Semos peligrosos!! (uséase Makinavaja 2)¨ (1993) by Carlos Suárez , it stars Andrés Pajares , Jesús Bonilla , Mario Pardo , Pedro Reyes . The plot goes on the previous adveentures : as soon as he is released from prison, Maki goes to look for his friend Popeye. Together they rescue the grandfather from a dangerous form of "Russian roulette" played in the asylum, and decide to take a vacation at the beach . And TV series : ¨Makinavaja (1995-1997)¨ with Pepe Rubianes , Mario Pardo , Florinda Chico .

WARNING: If you're not Spanish or you haven't lived in Spain for a long time you'll probably won't understand anything of what's going on, also you won't catch on neither with the slang nor with the funny accent of the characters.

Now, "Makinavaja" was the most popular character of the cartoonist Ivá, Makinavaja was a old school crook that tries to survive the best he can along with his friends, Popeye, and the "moromierda"... It's pretty hard to adapt a character like this one to cinema, although Andr{es Pajares gave of his best. The movie is rather a combination of sketches adapted from Ivá's strip cartoons and some of them are real funny, but the movie doesn't even get close to the quality and the genius of the Catalan artist (his anti-system philosophy, his irreverence..).

*My rate: 4/10