locoporelcine

One thing that annoys me off about Venezuelan cinema is that it invariably falls into either the historical drama or the crime thriller, and too often it fails in both accounts. HERMANO was one exception, and now LA HORA CERO is the other, perhaps the first incursion of my country's cinema into action thriller.

While the occasional clichés are present, this is a well-written adventure full of twists that make sense all the way, and genuinely exciting action sets that was a pleasant surprise to see. The main character is played by an underground hip hop artist who had never acted in his life, but he never ceases to bring the truth, not even next to people who have been acting for at least 12 years. I truly hope you one day get the chance to see this.

You may never see "Hermano" because it's (a) in Spanish, with a lot of slang, and (b) it revolves around soccer. If you do so, you will miss out on one of the most inspiring movies --not just sports movies-- you might see. The acting is not very professional, but it is extremely natural, which makes it all the more believable.

How many movies have you seen where the protagonist must overcome all odds to find a dream? And this comes from one of the worse places in the world. What the two brothers face in this story are something people in the slums of Venezuela deal with on a daily basis. And yet I doubt you will find people easier to laugh, to help a neighbor. We might all learn something from this movie. Please, try to find it.

This is one of those movies I will see again and again. Not enough plot? Who cares? Over-the-top acting and speeches? Bring 'em on! Right wing propaganda? Oh give me a break.

The movie is absolute eye candy, and the theater where I saw it erupted into applause on more than one occasion. Gerard Butler is huge as King Leonides; he finally gets the role he's waiting for (remember Atilla the Hun? Timeline? Reign of Fire? Didn't think so.) I admit there are many historical inaccuracies, but if I want a history lesson I'll go to a class or watch the History Channel. When I go to the movies, I expect to be entertained. And boy, was I ever!