Une déflagration

"A Blast" is a Drama - Thriller movie in which we watch a woman facing some socio-economic difficulties and after some terrible decisions she has to find a solution for everything. She has also to deal with some family problems that occur while her husband is away.

I have to admit that I did not know what to expect from this movie but I thought that it would be a black comedy movie something that it was not. The direction which was made by Syllas Tzoumerkas, it was below average and at some moments it did not make any sense. In addition to this, the plot holes that were created and were not covered made more difficult the understanding of the plot. In conclusion, I have to say that "A Blast" is not a good movie and I do not recommend anyone to watch it because you will waste your time.

This is not a movie but random footage of some people. Topic looks like to be crisis, poverty, problems, disorder, desperation, and that makes it negative. There is hyper sexuality and negativity dominating. Very disconnected story events, people, locations, and unfinished. Unclear, foggy, boring, too subjective. Not good to watch, even tough it does not last too long. Only reason I did not rate this worst is because I understand the crises and what goes along with them. I can also understand various disorders like hyper sexuality and negativity. But that is max rating I can give. Very amateur and nonsense.

If this is 'modern' Greek cinema, then let's have no more. If the counties involved with producing this ultra-crude waste of time expect to win audiences and make money, they may as well close up shop. It's surprising it was even considered worthy of being released. These movie makers have trashed their lives with excessive pornography, and now expect the viewer to follow them into their demented wasteland. Only on SBS World Movies would you find a platform for such a repugnant offering. To think that Greece - once the centre of cultural learning - has been reduced to deplorable obscenity such as this immoral rubbish.

The script (if it could be called that) looked like it was made up on the run with numerous daily re-writes, the editing looked like someone dropped the footage on the floor then cut it together as they found it. The wobble-cam hand held camera resembled an ultra cheap porn flick. Nothing, save a lead performance, had any merit and that was totally wasted by inept handling. Even at 1Hr 20m it seemed interminable.

Greece has enough political and moral problems without its movie makers adding to them on the world stage. Trash remains trash no matter how much some pretentious festival critics try to market it. Without worthy redeeming qualities, one can only recommend staying away... for the sake of your mental health.

Lacking in substance.

Told through a series of flashbacks, and odd cuts, this movie is about a woman who suddenly just drives out down the highway, seemingly running away from something. We see her relationship with her husband - how they met, fell in love, had kids and the trials and tribulations of their marriage. We also see the woman's relationship with her parents (and the issues they bring) and with her sister.

Surely enough of a kernel around which to fashion an emotional and interesting story. Unfortunately, there isn't much more to the story. There's really not much meat on the bones here. Important details are missing, things just seem to happen for no rhyme or reason, some details are provided about characters but then these details ultimately, have no bearing on the story, themes and sub- plots are introduced but are ultimately very underdeveloped or are purely red herrings. All this while told through random, not- necessarily-in-chronological-order flashbacks.

It is rare that a movie feels over-edited, but this a definite case of that. The movie should have been at least 30 minutes longer, which would have been easily doable and watchable - the finished product is only 83 minutes long!

Disappointing.

A Blast makes its point clear from the opening scene. Everyone deserves the right to freedom, choice and happiness. In the face of national crisis, in this case Greece, not everyone gets those rights, and its people goes down with the ship. There is truth in its biting cynicism and just like its title, it promises a turbulent ride. Unfortunately it suffers from an unnecessarily shuffled structure. The main timeline is confusing, but presumed the day that Maria fulfils the fantasy of someone who's in trouble and manages to run away from her family, country and problems.

The rest of it flashes to when she first meets her husband (who she has to endure a long distance relationship with) to when its revealed that her mother hasn't paid taxes for her business and their family has to pay the price. Too often does the film appear to cut to a flashback for no good reason and the film feels muddled for it. Granted, it does conjure the stressed emotions it wants and show the stages of life, but it's plagued by scenes of contrivances and lapses of irrationality. It's bolstered by strong performances, particularly from its leading lady Angeliki Papoulia coupled with great intimate but wide cinematography. A Blast does what it says on the tin to convey the damage of financial crisis but at the cost of severe untidiness.

7/10

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