Review of Intacto

Introduction

What is luck? Some people are convinced that other people are luckier than them. They are eaten up by jealousy over other people`s good fortune.
This film takes this idea to extreme by looking at people who have a certain gift. They steal other people`s luck.

Each of the main characters has the gift and plays a game to see who ends up with the most luck. The ultimate challenge is to meet Samuel, the Jew.

Samuel is a survivor of a German concentration camp. He lives in a casino, the ultimate `lucky` place. Federico is his protégé but chooses to leave. Before he goes Samuel steals back all the luck that Federico has accumulated.

Tomas is the sole survivor of a horrific plane crash. He is on the run after robbing a bank. Sara the police officer who tries to arrest him also survived a car crash in which her husband and daughter died. Alejandro is a retired bullfighter who was never caught by the bull. All these people will start the game for their own reasons, but who will finish it?

Video

The film transfer is adequate. The picture is not super sharp but it has atmospheric locations. From the casino drenched in red light to the contrast of the white brightness of the rock strewn landscape that surrounds it the film captures the feeling of being off balance. Much of the film seems to be about seeing and not seeing. The photographs collected by the game players, Samuel`s black hood and numerous blindfolds all seem to add to the confusion.

Audio

A sparing music soundtrack with some suitably mysterious Spanish songs adds significantly to the atmosphere of the film. Nicely paced with enough time to read the subtitles without totally losing track of the plot. There are baffling occasions though!

Subtitles are available in several languages.

Features

There are no additions apart from the requisite trailer.

Conclusion

Being a bit of a science fiction fan I enjoyed this film because of its central idea. It also amused me because so many people blame others for their bad luck and this idea has been translated into being literally true. The really paranoid will take this for gospel.

The action builds up well with one or two exhilarating scenes. I found it was worth watching twice but it very much depends on if you are prepared to suspend your disbelief.

It is nice for a change to watch a European film and of course that it why we have DVD players at home. We now have far more choice over viewing than soaking up the latest blockbuster at the multiplex.

Films are all to personal taste but I enjoyed the pace and style and the occasional confusions. Great one to talk about afterwards. Do you feel lucky?