Ardor

Pablo Fendrick wrote and directed this Argentine film that tries to be something more than barely tolerable but gets lost in what seems like an endlessly slow moving uncomfortable night at the movies. The rain forests are beautiful, the scenery is fine, the actors are fine, but the story cannot seem o decide whether it is a myth or a political statement about the gross disparity between the wealthy and the poor in South America.

The chief attraction is Gael García Bernal (Kai), a mysterious man who emerges from the Argentinean rain forest to help a poor farmer and his daughter Vania, who are threatened by a band of mercenaries hired to force them to sell their land and take over his property by setting fire to their farm and community. They capture Vania (Alice Braga) but Kai rescues her and we are left to discern what the future will hold for these 'creatures'.

Fans of Gael García Bernal will get to see a lot of him here but even this fine young actor cannot salvage this very tedious and meaningless film. In Spanish with English subtitles.

While it is not obvious in the beginning inside the jungle on Misiones near triple frontier with a jaguar roaming nearby, it is increasingly clear as this Argentine-Brazilian movie on land conflict advances, particularly in its second half, that it is a Western. Not only due the script, with powerful and violent gangsters robbing a rural estate from a humble hardworking family, a mysterious stranger engaging himself in protecting it against them, defensive shooting strategy, rape and duel. Also in edition, cinematography and even costumes (although the story is not in XIXth century in the United States, but in contemporary or recent past in verdant and watery Northeastern Argentina), the film explores many traits of the genre, with large face close-ups, shotguns, neckwear and wide-brimmed hats. The movie is technically well made, with extraordinary actors such as Chico Diaz, Alice Braga and Gael García Bernal.

Kai, a mysterious man, emerges from the Amazon rain forest near a remote tobacco farm whose owner is being threatened by armed men working for those who wish to take the land for soya farming. Shortly afterwards three of these men turn up and kill the farmer and take his daughter, Vania, with then. Kai follows them back into the jungle and manages to rescue Vania... they know the men won't stop though and prepare to face them back at the farm.

I had little idea of what to expect with this film; I didn't even know what genre it was... it is closest to being a western with its theme of people being threatened in order that other more powerful people might take their land. There are also ecological themes. The story is simple with a fairly minimal amount of dialogue. It looks great even if it is a bit slow to get going. Once the action starts it is exciting and leads to a finale that is both thrilling and atmospheric as heroes and villains face each other in a smoke covered farm. The cast are solid; notably Gael Garcia Bernal and Alice Braga as Kai and Vania; the villains might be a bit one dimensional but that isn't much of a problem. The jungle setting looks great, as one would expect. Overall I'd say this might not be a great film but it is decent and worth watching if you like westerns and are looking for something rather different.

These comments are based on watching the film in Spanish with English subtitles.

The movie didn't work for me. It felt too artificial... forced. Almost like I could tell 'this is a movie' constantly. And it is not supposed to be like that, it has a kind of magical aura you are supposed to feel, and sometimes it works, mainly with sounds and the jungle images. But it doesn't work on how they managed ellipsis... for time to pass by they show you a dark sky with a full moon. Also it didn't work in acting direction, I think. The actors are good, but the tone is completely flat. It may have been a good idea, but it becomes somehow artificial while the movie advances. And the idea of man becoming one with nature felt also forced. The 'tiger'analogy with the main character. It has a great message and I think it was a strong bet. I'm glad they tried. Maybe Herzog's movies would have been a good starting point to think the mise en scene for this subject.

As my title says, it could have been better. I was looking for a western and I had the impression that this was a western, not! I do appreciate the subtitles but there was not enough dialogue to carry the story and flesh out the plot. I am a devoted fan of westerns, independent westerns, and westerns set in other counties and this may have been called a "modern" western but it does not rise to that either. I recognized Alice Braga since she is one of the stars of Queen Of The South. I can see a great effort was made and the production values were good but I can't say more than that. Better luck next time.