Incidente, El |
Mexico • 2014 • 100m •
   • Directed by: Isaac Ezban. • Starring: Raúl Méndez, Magda Brugengheim, Humberto Busto, Erick Trinidad Camacho, Santiago Mendoza Cortes, Adrián Ladrón de Guevara, Enrique Mendoza, Hernán Mendoza, Héctor Mendoza, Paulina Montemayor, Marcos Moreno, Nailea Norvind, Fernando Álvarez Rebeil. • Music by: Edy Lan.   Two parallel stories about characters trapped in illogical endless spaces: two brothers and a detective locked on an infinite staircase, and a family locked on an infinite road - for a very long time.
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Review:
The film starts out with a striking image of a very old woman near death. She's still in her wedding dress, holding a small red book, while riding an escalator to an unknown origin in the future (just a foreshadow of what's to come). It's followed by a sequence where we see an endless ocean, railroad track, road, stairway, and finally hallway. This acts as a road map by Ezban for us to follow on his journey into a universe of his own creation, and what a glorious journey it is!
There are 2 separate yet connected stories for us to follow, both fragmented, non linear narratives involving a family about to venture on a road trip, and a detective's successful chase of 2 petty thieves on a stairway of an apartment building. In both scenes, we witness multiple incidents, both involving a death, a human sacrifice of sorts. The detective shoots one of the criminals while on the stairs- yet claims it wasn't his doing, and the father of a blended family gets lost, while his step daughter suffers a severe asthma attack for which he assumes much of the blame. Both groups hear an explosion shortly after each incident occurs, and both find themselves frozen in space and isolated from the rest of the world.
While the family on the road keep passing the same landmarks over and over again, the Cop and 2 criminals discover an endless loop of repeated floors of the building in which they are trapped. There is much more to both stories, and yes, they are connected. Listen closely to the conversation between both brothers in one's dying moments on the stairway, which prove essential to the films theme.
We now jump 35 years into the future, and how has it changed?
Act 2 on the staircase contains the films most creative and fascinating images. A vending machine that automatically fills up with food at will, a mural of fascinating drawings on the walls listing the number of days since the incident occured, a bizarre religious ritual involving paper bags, a collection of empty plastic water bottles that contain...well.. (that's a secret) and the most beautiful images of food ever captured on film since Antonioni's "Zabriske Point". The way the characters adapted to their new stairway home over the years with what little they had was both incredible as well as creative. The relationship between characters grew. ( Ezban and set designer Adelle Achar used a lot of imagination in highlighting this fascinating and original segment)
Act 2 of the family on the road could have used a bit more development and imagination. Still, in all fairness, it was realistic and true to the story. The father and son are alive, but remain quite distant. The mother is catatonic and soon dies, and the little girl has long been deceased. They have not adapted to their surroundings nearly as well. A revelation soon occurs in both stories, and some warnings as well.
What I noticed as a viewer is whether these characters were trapped in very close quarters or expansive terrain, Ezban's world is always beautiful. It saturates one's senses with wonder, and challenges our imagination. In the modern day fabricated world of CGI, Ezban manages to capture his world and unique visions with just a camera lens. Raul Mendez was terrific as the lead actor. I'd like to see more of his films.
In critiquing cinema, as in our regular lives, it seems we make our choices based on subjective impulse, and live by these choices as though we have grasped an "absolute truth", but mystery remains at the heart. Fans of mystery enjoy figuring out the unknown, and are often frustrated when the process seems like an exercise in futility, (as one might experience here), but solving this mystery makes one ravenous for the next. In contrast, an encounter with the unsolvable leaves us deliciously humble. Thus, rather than solve all the mystery of this film, or understand its logic, enjoy the experience of a world created by Ezban, meant to be explored and embellished. Look to its metaphors. As stated- the words of the conversation between brothers on the stairway in act one is crucial to the underlying theme.
I must say I wish Ezban would remake this in America, and add help with the screenplay. I believe understanding the metaphor would have not left some people scratching their heads. Something is lost in translation, and I wonder if it's a cultural difference. The dialogue between both brothers (in one's dying moment) in Act 1 on the stairway sequence was even more important to understand than the metaphysical explanation given by Ezban for the way his world works. If he drove home the brother's statement of regret of rushing thru childhood in quest of adulthood, this film would carry more punch.
In summary, this film is an exploration and an existential look at one's life. When we are young, our imagination and energy seem limitless. We can't wait to grow up to adulthood, not knowing the added responsibilities, obligations, and sociological standards we must conform to. In the end, we wish we could return, with a new found perspective and sense of wisdom- that being, to cherish the most sacred time of our lives, without the ultimate horror of losing our innocence along the way. This film is all about that passage of time and the choices we make. It is a reminder that wasted time is time we never get back, and not staying active- by living life to its fullest- will only lead to our self destruction.
This is a film that needs to be experienced, because words alone could not possibly do it justice. I'll sum up by saying It was easily one of the most fascinating films I've ever seen, and an amazing Journey that I hoped would never end. Is this world ready for Isaac Ezban? There is a definitive answer to that question.
Review by rontepper-38401 from the Internet Movie Database.
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