Les révoltés de l'an 2000

This tense, skillfully effectuated shocker spent a good many years lingering in relative obscurity, being largely unattainable outside of "grey market" trading circles. Now, more than three decades after its initial release, WHO CAN KILL A CHILD is finally getting the attention it deserves. The sagaciously conceptualized tale concerns an expecting young couple voyaging to a small island and finding that the adult population has declined considerably, as the resident children have gone inexplicably berserk and killed them off. With pint-size danger lurking at every turn, the couple must be fleet of foot and find a means of escape from the island. Defending themselves against an army of evil youths proves difficult, however, because...."who can kill a child"?

A singular horror film with able performances, first-rate direction, and effective filming locations which kindle a parched and desolate quality, recalling somewhat the unsettling flashback sequences in the closing moments of SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER(1959). This chalk-dusted atmosphere of barren paucity and isolation is unique, and one of the key aspects contributing to the film's success. Genre fans might recognize one of the rancorous rugrats as Marian Salgado of DEMON WITCH CHILD(1976).

Strongly recommended. 7.5/10

In one of the featurettes on the Dark Sky DVD, director Serrador claims that he should have put the footage about atrocities done to children -- more than seven hard-to-watch opening minutes about concentration camps, children in Vietnam, Korea, Biafra, starved, burned, tortured -- at the end of the movie. Of course he's wrong: It would have spoiled the whole movie, especially after the very last sentence that spins the film in a direction known from a lot of cheap zombie flicks: The script robs itself of its mystery, though it's a minor letdown in an otherwise perfectly crafted, well-shot (by Jose Luis Alecaine, who also worked with Saura, Luna, Faenza, Almodovar, you name it) and relentlessly gripping story that never lets go, until the ultimately bleak and depressing ending -- the only possible conclusion to this unjustly forgotten gem of Spanish 70s genre cinema. If you hate children, this is the film for you; and if you hate adults, too.

The amazing story deals with a young couple (Lewis Fiander, Prunella Ransome) on Holiday at Mediterranean Spanish coast . They decide go to island of Almanzora . At the beginning the place is abandoned but then some kids spontaneously appear . Later on , there happens several astonishing murders with bloody and gruesome executions . Various suspect children are implicated at creepy killings . Meantime , the couple is besieged and escaping of the wayward children who are originating a frightening massacre .

This is an unrelenting shock-feast laced with touches of denounce especially in its prologue . Chicho Ibañez Serrador's first great success is compelling directed with startling visual content , skill use of images-shock and some zooms . Several sequences are homages to Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963), for example, the image of all the children in the island's village square ready to attack Tom and Evelyn, and the final escape from the island . However , most of the movie was filmed far from the sea as Ciruelos (Toledo) . This frightening movie is plenty of thrills , chills , high body-count and glimmer color in lurid image with phenomenal results . This is a classic horror movie where intrigue , tension , suspense appear threatening and lurking in every room , corridors , interior and exterior from the deserted island . This film along with ¨La Residencia¨ and ¨Sleeping corpses lie¨ result to be the tree essential movies of the Spanish terror cinema . This genuinely mysterious story is well photographed by Jose Luis Alcaine on location of Sitges , Menorca and Ciruelos , Toledo . Creepie and eerie musical score by Waldo De Los Rios .

The film was released simultaneously as "Would You Kill a Child?" and "Death is Child's Play" in the UK. Similarly, American International Pictures released the film as "Trapped!" and "Island of the Damned" simultaneously in the USA . The motion picture was well directed by Chicho Ibañez Serrador and he originally wanted Anthony Hopkins to play Tom . Chicho directed another classic as ¨La Residencia¨ also titled ¨The Boarding School¨ and for TV , ¨Historias para no Dormir¨, being his last film an episode titled ¨Blame¨(2006). Rating : Good, this is one more imaginative terror pictures in which the camera stalks in sinister style and still packs a punch for those who like to be terrorize . It manages to be both eerie and skillfully made , furthermore holds deservedly its cult status . At the time considered the plus ultra of disturbing movie is less disagreeable by nowadays's standards, yet its fundamental power to thrill remains undiminished .

I rather liked Who Can Kill a Child. It relies a great deal on mood, suspense and strong, strangely frightening images. It is not a typical horror film, having a Picnic at Hanging Rock-vibe to its eery, daylight desertion. For especially the images are what makes the film with the excellent photography of surreal horror. That being said the mood is really what drives the film as little quality in the field of writing or acting shines through for the most part. Especially the writing suffers. The dialogue just doesn't flow naturally possibly because the scriptwriters were Spanish. Especially the wife character is given some truly cringe worthy lines besides not having to do much so as to advance the story. The husband, the protagonist for by far the most part, often acts eerily illogically. This occasionally results in unintentionally humorous moments because of both the writers' and actors' shortcomings. However this is mostly during the first half were the couple's banter is in focus. The other, being much more action oriented works much better and the couple is much more appealing leading to some truly distressing scenes. Perhaps this occurs because there is a better translation of themes (as fear is a universal feeling, whereas it is difficult to characterize the ordinary, but specific). As such it is a film the qualities of which surpass the anachronisms and general writing and acting problems. It is a very imperfect great film.

SPOILER: WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? is a relatively unknown but great little film. It contains some pretty heavy subject matter and is genuinely creepy. The film revolves around a man and his wife who go to a small island on vacation. The man had been there when he was young and wanted to experience the place with his wife. The island is a few hours from the mainland and is pretty isolated. The man and his wife get to the island to find it deserted. Eventually they begin running into a few children who all act very strange. Soon they realize that the children have flipped out and are murdering the adult townspeople. The couple is now torn between their disgust at the thought of committing violence against small children, and their own will to survive.

WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? really is a well done film. The acting is good, and the action is tense. The other thing I really liked was the downbeat ending. Altogether a very good film. Definitely Recommended 8.5/10