As Bestas

Wow! I went in to this movie with no expectations at all and was actually a bit blown away. It is a really good slow burner of a thriller. Set in the Galician mountains, the movie follows a retired French couple who settles in a rural village. Their presence however angers two locals (brothers) who start to act hostile towards the couple. Things slowly escalate from there.

The movie is really, really tense, from start to finish. As a viewer, one get the feeling that anything can happen at any time due to the very unpredictable and impulsive brothers. The movie takes full advantage of this while tightly following the couple doing their chores, resulting in a suspenseful atmosphere. The acting overall is excellent, with great cinematography as well. The movie simply looks stunning with beautiful mountain ranges as a backdrop for many of the scenes.

It is a pretty long and slow movie, so I can see that it might be a bit off-putting for some. However, if you like suspenseful slow burners, give this a go!

(Seen at the 2022 Stockholm International Film Festival)

When one person's hell is another person's paradise, conflict is inevitable.

This film tells the story of a crime, which opposes beasts, mountain brutes who have nothing to lose, to dreamers, agroecologists who return to the origins, fed up with urbanity.

If the dream of some prevents the end of the nightmare of others, tragedy seems inevitable.

I cannot help find some reminiscences in this argument with Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources by Marcel Pagnol. But here everything happens in a darker, more brutal, more realistic way. Here the violence is much more than just psychological.

A dark but intelligent vision of rural counter-exodus and agroecology.

There are those that will oppose new residents, especially if they cost them recompense, why should foreigners have a say, in how they live and work and play, as lifelong locals they are taking great offence.

Denis Ménochet is immense as the invasive species into Galicia who fails to support the locals, more especially two aggressive brothers in their desires for an escape from their unrewarding toil through the sale of their land to a wind turbine interest. The tension builds to an inevitable conclusion and leaves you questioning what you may have done in a similar scenario, from both perspectives, although you might hope the local constabulary had a little more backbone if you were in Antoine's position.

Splendid film that bases much of its story in a suffocating atmosphere and a slow narrative pace but that creates that aura that overwhelms you throughout the film.

The performances, the direction and the photography, not to mention the script, are sublime and are destined to become an immediate classic of Spanish cinema, since the portrayal of this forgotten and impoverished Spain is sublime.

It is a work that perfectly captures the differences between the local people of the rural communities and those who settle from the cities and how the way of life of both clashes and are practically irreconcilable differences due to the opposite way of life and values that both communities have.

As an inhabitant of a village similar to the one shown in the film I can say that it is a very faithful portrayal of the differences and conflicts between the natives and those who come from outside eager to implement a change of life without asking or taking into account the local population.

From north to south and from east to west. Beasts who don't like foreigners, who don't like those who aren't locals, those who don't speak the same language, who don't have the same religion, who don't have the same political opinions, who don't have the same hair, who have a nice car, who have an ugly car, and so on : these venomous snakes nastily defend their little piece of mental territory against the Other. And it's not just in the mountain countryside, it's everywhere in the world of work, schools, colleges, universities, factories, offices, sports clubs, bars, political meetings, that they poison the lives of honest and peaceful people.

Love life, take good care of your family, do not envy anyone, and enforce the laws since active and incorruptible police and justice are essential for a peaceful society.

With a film of incredible tension from start to finish, thanks to Rodrigo Sorogoyen and his excellent Spanish and French actors for this remarkable allegory.