The Kovak Box

I kept reading the description of this Movie as a Sci-Fi genre. It isn't.

It's more a Suspense Thriller. NOT an ACTION Thriller-- A Suspense Thriller. But you have to be patient. It starts off with what seems to be two disparate story lines than will slam together very soon.

A writer on book signing tour becomes embroiled in a very convoluted and deadly conspiracy which centers around one of his books.

The tone and visual flow of the movie makes me think of the old Bond Movies-- but like I said-- this is NOT an action flick. The web of conspiracy makes me think of some old spy Movies-- yet this isn't a Spy Movie.

Another reviewer hit a bulls-eye with one descriptor-- Hitchcock. This is Hitchcock for the 21st century.

SO this one is a movie for a Saturday Evening. You have to be ready to think and LISTEN to the dialogue. If your Girlfriend does not pay attention with you, you need a smarter girlfriend.

Oh, and this movie goes good with wine.

I love the basic premise of this movie and it sounded like it could be good based on the plot, filming locations, and some decent actors.

Unfortunately the movie fails at being creepy, scary, or even creating any form of tension. I get the feeling that the actors were just going through the motion.

There is no chemistry between the two main characters, the Villain seems very weak, and there are no real surprised or twists.

This movie seems like a toned down "In the Mouth of Madness" filmed in the Mediterranean.

My best advice is to rent In The Mouth of Madness instead.

Dean

THE KOVAK BOX is a successful little suspense/psychological thriller from the Spanish writers Daniel Monzón (who also directs) and Jorge Guerricaechevarría. The story may be a bit far fetched, but then what horror story isn't? The premise for the tale holds up well and is aided by some very fine performances by a mixture of Spanish, English, and American actors. The mood of the film is beautifully set during opening credits by a complex maze in which a white rat sniffs and ambulates from confusing corner to confusing wall - just the manner in which director Monzón plans to tell his story.

David Norton (Timothy Hutton) is a celebrated science fiction novelist visiting Majorca for a special conference accompanied by his soon to be fiancée Jane (Georgia Mackenzie). David has been having premonitions on his flight to the conference and those brooding thoughts continue as he registers for the conference and finds little disturbing clues that culminate in Jane's suicide leap from their hotel balcony. Almost simultaneously an attractive Spanish girl Silvia (Lucía Jiménez) in the same hotel 'jumps' from her balcony but is saved from death by falling onto an awning. Jane dies in the hospital: Silvia is in the bed next to Jane, witnesses David's grief, and the beginning of a bond is created.

David meets a strange old man Frank Kovak (David Kelly) who seeks an autograph of David's first novel 'Gloomy Sunday' and from there the mystery begins. David becomes the unknowing main character in a sci-fi story that mimics ideas from his own first book, a story about the implantation of devices in humans that would enable a central force to assist the victims in their own destructive ends. The plot is tightly woven from this point on and to reveal any portion of it would diminish the chair-gripping finale.

Timothy Hutton seems an odd choice for the main character of the film until his combination of cool intellect and understated passion clicks in. The film is graced by the presence of the talented Lucía Jiménez who seems to have the potential of becoming another Penelope Cruz! The cinematography by Carles Gusi and musical score by Roque Baños make the setting visually and aurally spectacular. For those who enjoy mind bender thrillers, THE KOVAK BOX will certainly please. Grady Harp

A Hitchcokian retreaded plot line is welded to A-movie production values to great effect in thriller "The Kovak Box." A crazed scientist plays God on a gorgeous Mediterranean island, causing sexy Spanish sirens to jump off roofs )often naked!) in Manchurian-like premise. Although lacking in originality, this slickly made thriller still manages some sense of freshness largely thanks to a great cast, including a terrific performance by Irish vet David Kelly. great paranoid thriller less concerned with CGI explosions and improbable chase and more concerned with ideas like the power fo suggestion. Still, the film does contain enough shock, action and beautiful locations (not to mention sultry Spanish chicks) to hold most Americans attention!

Usually, people write summaries of the story, but I won't. The plot summary on the movie page is good enough. :) It's important not to give away the story to get the most out of this film.

I really liked the movie. It was extremely well put together with a tight script. It had nice photography and a great score. The story is engrossing and you connect with the characters and I found myself unable to second guess them very much (something that is a constant problem in present day Hollywood productions, it is far to easy to think up easy solutions to their predicaments that they so conveniently miss just so that the story can continue).

I saw the movie at the Fantastisk Filmfestival (FFF) here i Lund, Sweden, today (a few hours ago). The director was present at the screening (apparently the third screening worldwide and the movie will have a wider release early next year) and I had a chance to talk to him. We talked about his inspirations for the movie (9/11 among other things, but not in any way that you really can understand from seeing the film), the progress of science into fiction and vice versa and the fact that he had set out to make a "Hitchcockean" movie (something I think he managed, albeit I must admit that I'm embarrassingly lacking in knowledge of Hitchkock's works, I found "The Birds" quite unwatchable for example).

Either way, I highly recommend this movie to anyone who likes mysteries and a good thriller.