Les meutes

'Hounds' is a rather grim film, a tale of the desperate and delusional. A useless father accidentally kills someone and ropes his son into his attempts to get rid of the body. There's also a dog fighting theme for extra joy. In places there are notes of black comedy but the tone is always bitter rather than sweet. It's possible there's more nuance in there if you have a better knowlege of Moroccan culture than I do; it's certainly not an advert for the national tourist board. The strong performances provide some illumination amid the darkness.

Les Meutes" is a film noir, like space-time, here at night, in which the action of the film takes place, and which seems endless. We are in the suburbs of the old medina of Casablanca. A crazy, clandestine world, where we survive according to street codes, which are ruthless. It's the world of schemes, micmacs and trafficking of all kinds. Beware of those who falter...

So that night, a dog fight goes wrong and one of the punters loses his dog. He then decides to take revenge. This is where a convict with a battered face and his son enter the dance: the two men, willing but clumsy, rent a van to organize a kidnapping. Which one goes wrong...

"Les meutes" is a dark film (literally, it all happens at night) where everything goes wrong for the main characters, problems pile up and create tension from minute one to the end.

It's a very solid movie, with very good performances and good technical aspect too.

The visual side of the film doesn't only relies in darkness, strong shadows and red lights to create a very effective gritty, noiry atmosphere, but what I found special is the casting choices, the faces of the actors in this movie deserve a special mention, they give all the character this story needed.

In terms of story, I didn't find it to be something special, but the pace and length is good and enough and it entertains.

It's overall a good, solid thriller with a refreshing setting due to it's nationality.