La Cordillera

Every year at least during the last decade, Argentinian cinema comes up with a single film that is superlative in many ways. Just back to 2014 we had Relatos Salvajes (Wild tales, Foreign film Academy Award nominee), The Clan (2015, this one to a lesser extent), El ciudadano ilustre (The distinguished citizen, 2016), and this year La cordillera, by Santiago Mitre. Mitre, still really young, is on his path to claim his spot beside the greatest contemporary Argentinian filmmakers such as Juan Jose Campanella and Damian Szifron.

This was Mitre's first super-production and he succeeded in coming up with something absolutely ambitious. The fact of the film's scale, it's remarkable cast (best national actors by far- Ricardo Darin, Erica Rivas, Gerardo Romano- and great foreign ones- Christian Slater, Elena Anaya) made it highly expected by the big commercial audience, but Mitre has surprised everyone with something so big in it's universal themes (power, greed, corruption) but yet subtle, full of metaphors

and without a closure to the story, which is what the average cinema goer expects. Hence the mixed reviews, popular reaction and the widely spread notion that the film stays half way or that's slow and boring. It can be a really uncomfortable film for some people, it makes one think and in general people go to the cinema just for entertainment.

The pace of the film it's perfect. Neither too slow nor to fast, it allows one to keep thinking about what's there or what's not. I guess it's more enjoyable if someone has interest and knowledge in politics but as I said above what really matters is the universality of the themes that are dealt with throughout the movie.

The only weakness I can find is the inclusion of President Blanco's daughter played by Dolores Fonzi. Even though then I realised this was merely with the purpose of exploring more in depth Blanco's personality and morality, I hardly find Dolores Fonzi credible (I can only recall 2013 "El critico" as an exception). In the long run and after figuring out the reason of her inclusion it didn't really matter. Everyone who's more thoughtful than the average can have a different interpretation of the events or possible outcomes.

It blew my mind.

This was one of those movies I have to read a lot after watching to try and figure out what happened. Some times, you miss little things while watching and one and the other and another person see little details and between all of them you form your opinion about what you've just seen. The "open ending" was quite confusing for me, but after reading different opinions and points of view I realised the movie is about the main character, Hernán Blanco, and nothing else. Everything points to show how and what he is. Everything that happens is about him, and after the movie ends, you will know what he is. The thing is, it looked like there was something bigger going on, and I lost focus on the character, thinking that some twist was going to happen any time. I do appreciate how good is the cinematography, the acting and the music on this movie, everyone does a great job on their roles, and there's a very well accomplished atmosphere of mystery from beginning to end, but it was a bit messy and inconsistent in what it was pointing at, and made me expect something else. Or maybe not messy, but a lot of little details that will make sense and add up better when you finished the movie and understood what was about. Maybe a second watch would be good. Still, besides it was somehow disappointing, is a quality film in many aspects and I did enjoy watching it.

I really liked La Cordillera (The summit). Political thriller is not the most usual subject in Argentina's filming. Just for this, this deserves a lot of recognition. The script is intense, very touching. Maybe some viewers will feel as if there were some minutes missing...but whenever you think about the film, this grows. I enjoyed the director so much...the "Cordillera de los Andes" that gives the film a name...is a silent Main protagonist. Beautiful, fascinating, incredible. In the middle of nowhere, some crucial meeting among south American presidents is being held. Darin is superb as usual, as the Argentina's President. for the reluctant, I suggest you to give The Summit a chance.

This is one of the most boring movies ever made, i never made reviews of bad movies, but this one was soooo slow, and sooo boring that never feel too drama or too political. Tried to be twin peaks with politics, but is boring.only works if u want to sleep faster than ever.

I really don't know what is the real purpose to make this movie. Why we have to involve so many Latin American nations and send all of their presidents to Chile, in the harsh winter and hold a so-called meeting in a resort like hotel on top of the mountain? And what's the purpose this Argentina president insists his daughter to join him there. The screenplay did not clearly develop the conspiratorial scandal this president is facing, only vaguely shows us in some dubious dialog that the husband of his daughter's husband will expose some dirty laundry this president is trying to hide from the people. Having a daughter who is in an unstable mental condition and disrupts his important meeting is such stubborn decision and stupid arrangement that maybe Donald Trump would do.

I really don't know how to categorize this going-nowhere almost clueless film. What is the real purpose of making this film? A political thriller? I don't think so. An unsolved murder mystery? A hallucination of a president's daughter? What is the real purpose this movie like us to view?

Christian Slater played an obnoxious American political peddler in this film with some over-the-top exaggeration with lot of unfit gestures and body language just wanted to give us an impression of how arrogant American policy maker is even during a back room negotiation. This film also wanted to let us know the Mexican president is the mouthpiece of the American government. But regretfully, when you forced yourself to sit through watching this film, expecting something might fully be explained in the end with your patience almost vaporized, what you got in the end is just a big NADA.

You don't need to go through this like me to get nothing out of it. A complete waste of your time.