Wild Tales, 2014.
Written and Directed by Damián Szifron.
Starring Dario Grandinetti, Ricardo Darín, Erica Rivas, Diego Gentile, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Rita Cortese.
SYNOPSIS:
A six standalone story anthology film that draws together troubled lives focused by violence, obsession and revenge…
Multi-story features can hold many a delight for all kinds of audiences. One draw back they often face is a kind of stark hit and miss ratio. See the V/H/S horror anthology films for proof of this. A combination of the good, the bad and the indifferent, these type of films can sometimes resemble something like a party punch of enticing yet ultimately sickening flavours.
Which is a long way of describing exactly what Wild Tales isn’t. What it is a beautiful collection of extremely funny, intelligent and fantastically realised short films all inspired by the act of revenge.
The fundamental problem most anthology films face is that by their nature they are comprised of different sections all created by different filmmakers. This can lead to elements that don’t fit very well together or a kind of space filler attitude with the weaker segments badly undermining the stronger parts.
Wild Tales differs in this respect. All six films are the work of one vision, that of the Argentinian writer and director Damián Szifron. With a sharp eye for detail and a head for the more twisted forms of comedy, this 2 hour collection of short films offers a hugely entertaining trip to the basest forms of human behaviour.
The film takes us to this edge immediately. The pre-credits film brings to life the on-flight results of a tortured obsessive named Pasternak. When everyone on the plane realises that are in some way connected to this complex individual, sparks literally fly.
Next up comes The Rats. Following a waitress as she recognises a local corrupt moneylender who has ruined her family, she is persuaded to poison his food by her matronly boss. Soon after his son joins him and things get even more complicated…
The Strongest is a kind of road-rage Duel type story with a yuppie enraging an older less well off driver with extremely violent consequences.
Little Bomb follows a demolitions expert (Ricardo Darín) and his Falling Down type exploits in the city. Basically he can’t get his truck back after its towed away and will do anything to get it back. You know, like blow things up and stuff.
The Proposal features the son of a rich man trying to get out of a fatal car accident incurred when he was driving late at night. The father thinks he has found a way around the ‘problem’, but tragedy strikes when the family caretaker who is willing to do time for money comes face to face with the pregnant victims husband (and his hammer)…
The final tale Until Death do Us Part is probably the strongest of all. It looks at a newly wed (the hilarious Erica Rivas) wife who discovers her cheating husband’s lies and infidelities at the wedding reception. This brings a bloody and funny chapter in this excellent series of shorts.
Produced by Pedro Almodóvar who certainly knows his way around a black comedy when he sees it, Wild Tales is a tremendously entertaining anthology and a must-see for anyone drawn to explorations of the darker side of human nature.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk is a freelance journalist and film writer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ONsp_bmDYXc&list=PL18yMRIfoszFLSgML6ddazw180SXMvMz5
Originally published March 27, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
