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Crónica de una fuga (Chronicle of an escape) - Adrián Caetano (2006)
First of all, let me begin by saying that this film is my worst nightmare put on screen. The atmosphere of absolute terror it portrays is matched only by George Orwell's 1984; an entire country imprisoned and ruled by terror. It's based on 2 true stories of political prisoners and their plight during the reign of the military "junta" in Argentina from 1976 - 1983; their wrongful imprisonment, physical and mental torture during 120 days.
It is the best thriller I've seen in years, it kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart racing 100mph, especially in the second half of the film. As if the real life story wasn't excruciating enough, the director enhances the experience in many ways, building up tension with music and long, drawn out, will-make-you-break-out-in-a-cold-sweat scenes where the main characters are on the brink of making crucial decisions.
It sucks you into the mental state of the prisoners so that 30 minutes in, you feel like you're one of them.
This is not your classic "americanized" story of superheroes that stay dignified and defiant through the most difficult of trials, these are regular people, made of flesh and blood, and willing to do anything to survive. The power of torture and mind games is displayed in its full terror; after a certain period of imprisonment and a continuous barrage of abuse, the main characters begin to buckle under pressure, they are continuously tantalized by their tormentors by promises of liberty in exchange for information...but soon enough, they realize liberation is not a likely outcome, and they have some difficult decisions to make.
The most incredible and frightening aspect of the film is of course, that it's based on a true story (or stories), that happened no so long ago, and that this kind of thing probably still happens (Iraq and Guantanamo being the most likely of places). All the more reason to see this film. It will make you remember just how fortunate we are to be living in democratic countries, and make you appreciate freedom (which we seem to take ever so lightly).
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First of all, let me begin by saying that this film is my worst nightmare put on screen. The atmosphere of absolute terror it portrays is matched only by George Orwell's 1984; an entire country imprisoned and ruled by terror. It's based on 2 true stories of political prisoners and their plight during the reign of the military "junta" in Argentina from 1976 - 1983; their wrongful imprisonment, physical and mental torture during 120 days.
It is the best thriller I've seen in years, it kept me on the edge of my seat and my heart racing 100mph, especially in the second half of the film. As if the real life story wasn't excruciating enough, the director enhances the experience in many ways, building up tension with music and long, drawn out, will-make-you-break-out-in-a-cold-sweat scenes where the main characters are on the brink of making crucial decisions.
It sucks you into the mental state of the prisoners so that 30 minutes in, you feel like you're one of them.
This is not your classic "americanized" story of superheroes that stay dignified and defiant through the most difficult of trials, these are regular people, made of flesh and blood, and willing to do anything to survive. The power of torture and mind games is displayed in its full terror; after a certain period of imprisonment and a continuous barrage of abuse, the main characters begin to buckle under pressure, they are continuously tantalized by their tormentors by promises of liberty in exchange for information...but soon enough, they realize liberation is not a likely outcome, and they have some difficult decisions to make.
The most incredible and frightening aspect of the film is of course, that it's based on a true story (or stories), that happened no so long ago, and that this kind of thing probably still happens (Iraq and Guantanamo being the most likely of places). All the more reason to see this film. It will make you remember just how fortunate we are to be living in democratic countries, and make you appreciate freedom (which we seem to take ever so lightly).