Having been impressed by the imagery in Alejandro Jodoworsky's Mexican films, I was curious to see Angels and Cherubs, a surrealist film from Jodoworsky's cinematographer. Alas, in spite of a few interesting touches, the film remains both dull and obtuse.
A prologue re-creates the myth of Adam and Eve, only here Eve comes first and then Adam. Both characters are played by naked children (I would guess the director's kids), who run around a beach that is supposed to be paradise. All of that ends when the kids pull a white ball from a huge piece of driftwood and evil is let loose.
After this prologue, the main story starts. Christian (Jorge Humberto Robles), the son of a rich landowner, falls in love with Angela (Helena Rojo), the daughter of unliked, recent arrivals to the area. Christian begins courting Angela without his father's approval. Needless to say, things take a dark turn eventually (but not soon enough however).
I am not sure what the prologue has to do with the rest of the film, but it is probably the best part of the movie. The main story rambles along. Director Rafael Corkidi does occasionally frame an interesting shot, but he also doesn't know when to cut. There is an overhead shot of a dinner table while the servants serve the first course to each diner and then, since the diners are not eating, collect each of the plates one at a time. This shot goes on for three courses, the food, all three times, put on the the table only to be taken away. Someone hit the fast forward button!
Finally, the film builds to a conclusion that is so hoary that it wouldn't cut mustard in an episode of a low-budget horror anthology. Angels and Cherubs is a long way from El Topo or The Holy Mountain.
