O Bar

A committee wanted to make a movie. So there you have it. Conspiracy theory. And survival drama. And horror chase. And each member made its movie. And there was none to make an ending.

I'll preface this by saying this is probably not a film for everyone, but I greatly enjoyed it. The essential plot idea is there are several strangers in a bar in Madrid when a shooting happens right outside the door, and they find themselves trapped together for reasons I won't spoil.

What follows is a tense psychological thriller about human nature, and a what-would- you-do-if-it-happened-to-you type of story line. It's written well, with moments of humor that land incredibly well without breaking the line of suspense being pulled tighter and tighter as the story goes on. It's definitely brutal at times, make no mistake there, but I was caught up in it and along for the ride to the very end.

Well, what to say about Alex de la Iglesia's latest black comedy thriller...other than, it's a wild ride, that I could see it pissing a lot of people off, because it purposefully leaves a whole load of massive loose ends wide open.

As if to say...it's more about the journey, than the destination...or starting point, for that matter.

It starts off with a bang. Well...two, actually.

And it only get's weirder from their...

At first no one knows what's going on...so paranoia kicks in. And, inevitably, everyone starts to turn on each other.

This portion of the film is a bit of a mystery...but at least it is saturated with dark humour.

As twist after twist is introduced, it takes you on this journey through extreme paranoia...as you try and figure out what the hell is going on (alongside the characters...who are great, by the way).

But you never do! Making the whole thing about trust vs paranoia, and where that will get you in the end.

On this ride, you will experience laughter, anger, frustration, discomfort, tension, fear and disgust.

As with all de la Iglesia flicks, it's pretty dialogue heavy...with action reserved for the second act.

But the whole thing is downright hilarious...as conspiracy theories turn to germophobic paranoia, when a diseased man is found in the bathroom, dying from some unknown virus, with a syringe in his hand- having just injected himself with the antidote...only...too late.

His dying words are, "don't touch me"...but it's likely they are all already infected anyways...and there are more bodies than syringes with the antidote...so, drama ensues from there.

If you enjoy films based around a twisted sense of humour, that like to mess with your head...then you will certainly enjoy this film.

But you really have to keep an open mind- and get rid of your expectations- or you will get caught up in traditional complaints that don't really apply here...and it will ruin your chance to enjoy the film.

With that being said...I thought it was a hoot! Got me riled up and right into; made me laugh; made me angry; and triggered my germophobia (meaning i'd have probably been dead pretty early on haha).

Fans already familiar with Iglesia will enjoy this the most...but anyone with an open enough mind can hop on for one helluva wild ride.

Just leave those expectations at the door.

7 out of 10.

Seen at the Berlinale 2017. Turns out to be a knockout competition, something like And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little N****rs) by Agatha Christie. Since the whodunit becomes clear after 15 minutes, further proceedings are very different from said book in all respects, except for the fact that someone dies at regular intervals. Key question: How far will you go to save yourself at the expense of others, especially when those others are strangers. And is the choice very different when it involves someone who nauseated you at first sight, or had some prejudice against for whatever reason?? We see it all happening, in many variations, in this tense thriller. There are a few comedy elements to alleviate the tension from time to time, but the depressing core conclusion is that humans are self-serving by definition, and only care for others when they expect to get something in return.

The starting point is nothing out of the ordinary. A random collection of people, most of them strangers to one another, who happened to pass by and came into the bar for a variety of reasons. They suddenly find themselves against a common but initially unknown enemy. Our religious upbringing taught us that everyone is basically good, and prepared to help others in need. But our natural attitude changes in reverse as soon as we feel threatened. So this becomes the very opposite of a "All for one, one for all" story. Of the most remarkable observations in this movie is how drastically people change when they get hold of a loaded gun. We see that a few times, each time with other people, but the net effect is similar for all of them, even for people who we thought to be above sheer egoism.

There is no need to spoil what is going on and what will happen after that. Trust me that subsequent events are unpredictable, and makes one wonder if even a single one of the bar visitors will survive. And to test your own conscience: if there would be one survivor, who would you prefer to be the lucky one, versus who would you consider not worth living any further and better die in the process?? Prepare yourself for a very tense 1h45min. The whole running time is full of surprises. There is no time to consult your watch, as not a single minute is wasted. The final question is left for the viewer: would you have behaved much better than anyone in this group??

An intense survival thriller that starts small and evolves into monstrous look at the dark side of humanity. When 2 customers of a bar in Madrid are shot down as they leave suspicion lies behind all the eyes of the remaining customers, recriminations abound and who if any of them is responsible? A very adept look at human paranoia and the depths a person will go to to save themselves. Neither a comedy or a horror as some reviews I've read here interpret the film as but a tense, claustrophobic thriller that deserves a much higher rating than it currently has.