Matar a un Hombre

"To Kill A Man" (2014 release from Chile; 82 min.) brings the story of a family somewhere in Chile who are the victims of pestering, and eventually much worse, by the neighborhood thugs. After an initial shooting incident, the main thug is sentenced to 1 1/2 years in jail. The movie then jumps forward two years, and the thug and his cronies decide to extract revenge on the family. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience of this plot-heavy movie, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: "To Kill A Man" immediately recalls the theme from "Death Wish", yes, the Charles Bronson 1970s vigilante movie(s) where Bronson takes justice in his own hands. "To Kill A Man" is essentially the same, but brought and done in a completely different fashion of course. Indeed, writer-director Alejandro Fernández Almendras is NOT making an action movie, he is instead bringing a psychological study on what it means to kill a man. It doesn't surprise then that the last 20-25 min. of the movie become more and more surreal, as if in a dream. Check out the excellent interview with the director in the DVD bonus materials, in which the director gives great insights on the movie, including that he "composed the movie like paintings". So true. Check out several key scenes in the second half of the movie, each lasting several minutes, that are filmed from a single angle. The camera just observes and lets us take it all in. I love it. I should also mention that the tension rarely lets up in the movie, and that at just over 80 min., this went by in a flash. Last but not least, the acting performances are great, most of all from Daniel Candia as our main guy Jorge. I admit that I had not heard of him (or any other performers) before this movie.

This movie was the August, 2014 release in the on-going series of Film Movement's DVD-of-the-Month Club of foreign and indie movies, and the DVD will be released to the public at large in February, 2015. If you are in the mood for something entirely different than the comic book action hero movie of the week that Hollywood keeps serving up endlessly this summer, you cannot go wrong with this. "To Kill A Man" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

While not free of its problems, To Kill a Man not only delves into the psyche of someone torn up over the prospect of killing a man, but it also is a vent of frustration at the inconsistencies of law enforcement in not only Chile but South America in general. Jorge the main character is portrayed in a very realistic way. He isn't a superhero, he isn't bulletproof, he is simply a family man being thrust into the world of vigilantism by the incompetent law enforcement. Its a sad and bitter tale of revenge! Unfortunately the run time of the film hurts it. Being only 82 minutes, it doesn't allow you the time to really soak into the situation as much, but putting that aside, To Kill a Man is recommended to anyone who likes their films with a strong sense of realism and social commentary!

This is a raw depiction of an event that actually happened. And after you stopped rolling your eyes (I do that a lot too, when I read that "based on..." thing), let me tell you that this is as down and dirty and especially real as they get. There is nothing glamorized here. Be it the villains, the police or our main character (the latter probably one of the most passive "heroes" you'll ever encounter).

But that's what makes the movie special. It might not be your kind of special, especially if you're expecting this to be an action movie (it's anything but). The loneliness and the way the justice system works is more than irritating. You have to make up your own mind and get out of that anything you want to see. Also there couldn't be any better ending to this movie

A great story, the minimum music used makes it even stronger and real, great acting, very natural. A believable story that could happen to anyone, not at all exaggerated like most movies with good budgets. It's a perfect portrait of the world we live in as humans and how somehow killing would be the only way to live in peace.

Too bad these movies don't reach the audience they should, they deserve better. If anyone has the chance to see it, do it, you'll be glad you did.

It's supposed to be from Chile, I'm Mexican and had to watch it with English subtitles in order to understand the dialogue in Spanish.