The Kovak box - Controllo mentale

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 story concerns about David (Timothy Hutton), a sci-fi bestsellers author . He arrives in Mallorca (Spain) along with his fiancée . But after a phone call , she spontaneously jumps from hotel balcony , committing herself suicide. The writer investigates the deeds but happen lots of people committing suicide all around him . Later on , he meets Silvia (Lucia Jimenez) who has survived her own and inexplicable suicide trying , jumping from a room . Both of them join forces and are plunged into a nightmarish game . They pursue a suspect doctor (Gary Piquer) with dark intentions . Meanwhile , David is appointed a strange character named Kovak (David Kelly) who hands him over a rare box . The plot stretches plausibility to the final breakpoint, proceeded in the Caves of the Hell.

This exciting picture packs suspense , noisy action , twists plots , tension and marvelous landscapes from island of Mallorca . The film contains thrills and chills and is quite entertaining because is a laborious and intriguing suspense tale . Timothy Hutton is good as a writer who becomes the reluctant hero of one of his own stories , though this time , he has no idea how it ends . Interesting and thrilling screenplay by Jorge Guerricaechevarria (Alex De Iglesia's usual screenwriter) . Colorful cinematography by Carlos Gusi (Torrente, Box 507) who photographs splendidly island Mallorca outdoors and luxurious interiors . Spectacular and atmospheric musical score by Roque Baños (Fragiles , Machinist ,Sexy beast ,800 bullets). The motion picture was well directed by Daniel Monzon , a former cinema critic . He previously directed fantasy (Heart of warrior ) , comedy (Biggest robbery never told) and wrote the thriller ¨Camino de Paraiso¨ ; his greatest hit was the prison movie titled ¨Celda 201¨ . Rating : Good , better than average . The film will appeal to twisted stories buffs and Timothy Hutton fans.

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!

I don't agree with some reviews here . Really this is a movie with an original screenplay that keep suspense throughout all the movie , something that so many Hollywood movies don't achieve even if they try . The music soundtrack is excellent, by Spanish composer Roque Baños, and Timothy Hutton does a fantastic job in this film. This is a good genre film and as that it fully achieves its goals. David Kelly does a fantastic job too in his role . The director is Daniel Monzón , previously a movie critic for Fotogramas magazine and this is his 3rd movie as a director . In resume , this movie don't pretend to be nothing but a genre movie. And as that it succeeds.

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.