Somos lo que hay

We are what we are is the rarest of beasts, a macabre tale that has the power to delight and disturb in equal measures with its unique take on a family under turmoil. Unlike the majority of horror films that focus on the victims and their struggles against evil, this unflinching portrayal of cannibalism follows a family of killers and their struggle to survive in the harsh and unforgiving environment of the Mexican suburbs.

After the head of the family meets a gruesome end, it falls upon his eldest son, Alfredo, to take responsibility for the surviving members; his younger siblings and his grieving mother. Each of them have their own agendas and it is not long before these conflicting issues result in horrifying consequences for both the family and the people they prey on for food. The less known about the storyline the better, which is why my description of the plot is suitably vague, as the majority of the films more unsettling moments come as a complete surprise for the unsuspecting viewer.

Apart from Antichrist, this is the only film I have viewed where audience members have left the cinema during the more graphic scenes, and this certainly confirms that We are what we are is a very powerful film, not for the faint hearted but very rewarding for those that persevere. With cinematography on par to that of the hauntingly beautiful shots seen throughout Let the Right One In and a subject matter as realistically brutal as the gruesome deaths of the unsuspecting victims in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this is a perfect example of an atmospheric horror that chills you to the core by combining a stark yet realistic situation with unflinching scenes of violence.

The majority of modern horror films rely on cheap scares and shock tactics to batter the viewers senses and it is encouraging to see that there are still directors out there who clearly have a great respect for the genre and shift their focus towards creating a brooding atmosphere and a compelling storyline. This brave and accomplished attempt at reinvigorating a stale genre certainly marks Jorge Michel Grau as a promising director for the future and whilst We are what we are may not be the masterpiece that horror fans are hoping for, it certainly comes pretty damn close.

8/10

I am a huge fan of European films and of horrors and with this film being compared to Let The Right One In in many reviews I read, my expectations were high. This apparently does for cannibals what Let The Right One In did for vampires.. Unfortunately the film didn't live up to my expectations. An enjoyable film needs to have at least one of the following: strong dialogue, interesting storyline, intreging characters, excitement, terrific direction; We Are What We Are, I felt, had little or none of any. I didn't know enough about the characters to care about them getting food and saw no reason why they should kill the innocent (or whores as they muchly discussed) so that they could eat? Nor did I like the mother, or the youngest brother. I felt no attachment to the incestuous relationship. I felt that the mockery of the police was pointless and frustrating. I stayed in the cinema to watch the film and I wasn't bored just highly disappointed. Would I recommend this movie? No... Do I feel like I wasted 90minutes of my life watching it? No... It was just an OK portrayal of a family coping with their issues. Don't rush to the cinema to see it (unless like me you have unlimited membership) just wait until its shown on Channel 4 if ever it is.

'We Are What We Are' (Somos Lo Que Hay) has been acknowledged by many as the 'first Mexican cannibal film,' and whether or not this statement is true, 'WAWWA' isn't by any means a typical cannibal film. If anything, this film is more like a socio-political examination of the current run-down Mexican slums, with the story of a family of cannibals lightly sprinkled on top to allow engagement of behalf of the audience. While the socio-political examination and subsequent criticism of Mexican society is executed well, the story itself falters and could have done with a stronger, more focused script.

Beginning with the death of the family's patriarchal father (Humberto Yanez), who stumbles drudgingly through a modern shopping centre before collapsing in a dead heap in broad daylight. Instantly, director Jorge Michel Grau provides the audience with the issue of class divide in modern Mexico. As he lays on the concrete motionless, prospective middle-class shoppers casually avoid who they believe to be a dying or dead homeless man, before the cleaning crew of the shopping centre are called in to remove the body. The lack of respect, and humanity with which the public treats the dying father, alludes to the fact that Mexico is attempting to raise its public image both domestically, and internationally, and to do this, the lower classes must not be seen nor heard. The following scenes establish not only the family dynamic, but the sub-plot of the corruption in the Mexican police force. During the autopsy of the father, the pathologist reveals the family's dark secret; that they are cannibals (through finding a whole finger in his stomach), while the Police, initially uninterested in case, and now believe that this could be their big break financially. "Break this case and we will meet the President." The Police and authority throughout are portrayed as corrupt, lifeless soles that do their jobs for the acclaim, and celebratory status, rather than to curtail social dis-order in the Mexican slums. Crimes between the lower classes seem to be a free-for-all for justice, unless the social rewards are substantial enough to garner a response from the middle-class authoritarians. Essentially Grau provides the visual metaphor of the lower-classes 'eating' each other (through the representation of the family), and succeeding in doing a job that those who live beyond their means, do not wish to engage with. However when the classes collide, with the cities, the countries, reputation at stake, the authority must strike down with a powerful fist, to preserve a reputation suitable for wealthy locals and tourists alike.

Back in the family's household, with the father presumed dead by their daughter Sabina (Paulina Gaitan), and with their mother becoming increasingly withdrawn (Carmen Beato), it is left to the older brother Alfredo (Francisco Barreiro) to take over the patriarchal role of the family, while also keeping his hot-headed, psychopathic younger brother Julian (Alan Chavez) in line. His first business as the new head of the house-hold is to find a suitable woman for the family's cannibalistic rituals. Instead of concerning himself with the use of shock-tactics and horror clichés, Grau focuses more on the destruction of the nuclear family and how each member of the family becomes increasingly unstable as more and more responsibilities and lumped upon them. Alfredo fails to become a hunter like his father and feels effeminate; the mother becomes distraught and erratic as she attempts to overcome the news of her husband's death, while Sabina, as the young, female of the family, rapidly descends inwards as she is forced almost instantly into the nature of adulthood.

The performances by all the members of the family, and the supporting cast of prostitutes and policemen, are somewhat disturbingly beautiful. In the slums of the city, they must day by day, year by year, drag themselves up and attempt to create a living in the world of the prostitutes or a meal on which to survive in the world of the family themselves. While the direction, and cinematography by Santiago Sanchez, creates this perfect divide which is simply roads away between the slum-dwelling lower-class, and the youthful, nightclub enjoying middle-class patrons. However, this film does harbour one large indiscriminate flaw which casts a dark shadow over the whole film in general; the lack of depth and development in the script. It deals suitably with relaying the corruption, and the class divide within developing Mexican cities, but when the script comes to the family itself, it fails to ignite any truly engaging aspect of the story. We know little of the family's history, nor if it has any ambitions for future, aside from surviving. While certain characters could do with substantial improvements to their characterisations, such as probing the sub-plots involving Alfredo's sexuality, and Julian's uncontrollable teenage rage, or fundamentally providing any information beyond the very little we know about the 'ritual' being committed daily (?) by the family. 'We Are What We Are' is an adequate family-drama, with a hint of horror, and an underlying sub-plot of socio-political change within such a developing country. It may not be the best foreign film of the year, but one which certainly deserves a viewing.

A relatively fresh take on a genre that has to be tread upon with care and with the threat of great peril in mind.

'We are What We Are' is the portrayal of a dysfunctional family. However the representation of it is amplified, with much intensity as the film rolls closer to its end.

It is an interesting watch however, it keeps the secrets to itself. I am hoping the director intended to be it like that.

I'm confused, really. It's one of those films where you cannot figure if it's a plain and straight, mediocre narrative (with some great sequences) or maybe you missed out on some key plot contrivance and hence missed 'the point'. For Instance the back-story of 'Jug Face (2013)' was in the opening credits, sort of like hand-drawn stop-motion short.

Anyhow, Hollywood is about to release a re-make; let's see how they tackle the dinner matter.

Watch it, if only to let me know the 'what'

After years of well crafted TV serials, we are used to a specific language of spoon-fed clues to describe the strange, alien or fantastic. In this Mexican "cannibal" film, the audience is made to work fairly hard to discern anything.

The grinding logic of the film eventually pays off. The closing doors, family stress and fear of the outside from inside the dysfunctional home paint a picture of a family that is twisted yet recognisable.

There is a possibly fantasy link that explains things, but that is thrown in. Poverty, or inability to control the future is the driver for everything. The ending is slightly more traditional, but the experience remains unrelentingly strange.