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King of the Hill (2007)
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Wednesday, 25 February 2009 00:00 |
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DVDs -
Reviews
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Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Thriller
Released: January 20, 2009
Rating: R
Country: Spain
Original Title: El Rey de la Montana
Director: Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego
Starring: Leonardo Sbaraglia, Maria Valverde
Studio: Dimension Extreme
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Shoot. Kill. Game Over.
For many, many moons filmmakers have used the 'hunted-humans' motif to reach down deep and scare the you-know-what out of us movie goers. Powerful and terriby effective, these types of films affect us on a very primal and instinctual level.
King of the Hill, while brutal and shocking, is probably is one of the smartest, most beautifully filmed thrillers that I have seen...
The movie begins as handsome Quim (Leonardo Sbaraglie) is stopping for gas at a roadside station. He meets a pretty shoplifter named Bea (Maria Valverde) in the restroom and mutual attraction has them doing the wild-thing within moments.
Shocked at his own behavior, Quim exits the restroom and realizes that Bea has lifted his wallet during their stolen moment of passion and has driven away. Thinking he can catch up with her, Quim follows her car up a remote, mountain road.
Suddenly shots ring out, echoing against the desolate hills. Frightened, Quim pulls off the road just as a strange figure toting a sniper-rifle crests the hill. Running for his life, Quim soon runs into Bea; whose car has also been disabled. The unlikely couple will have only the woods to hide in as they are quite literally hunted....
I was really impressed with King of the Hill; filmed in a raw and gritty style that makes it feel very real, this gripping film had me hooked within minutes. As I've said before about other foreign films, some viewers may be bothered by the subtitles, but the film is ever so much better in its original Spanish. Watching it this way lets you hear every inflection and emotion that the two talented actors portray.
I found that the sound of the gun-shots affected me deeply in this movie. Each fired bullet whistles and whines through the air seconds after the crack of the gun; this gives you a real feel for how remote and hilly their location is. Unlike the sound-effects in modern action movies, the gun-fire in this film sounded real and terrifying; to be able to hear someone shoot and know you have one second to move before it rips through your body. This attention to detail was perfect!
I won't give away the ending or even which direction the filmmakers go with this movie; that'd take the fun out of the ending. All I will say is that the movie-and I'm sure this was their intention- left me pondering a great moral dilemma: Is our modern society and culture giving birth to monsters?
If you liked Eden Lake and The Strangers, then run out and rent this fabulous Spanish film. Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego definitely brings the terror home in this tense and heart-pounding thriller!
Recommended as a rental and/or purchase.
Overall Rating: 4
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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 March 2009 12:27 )
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