I am a lover of spooky movies. Let me say, without intellectual mumbo-jumbo, that the scenes involving the succubus sisters with Alfredo are absolutely terrific, with the most incredible mood, surreal atmosphere, and gorgeous women.
However (yes, there is a 'however'... or two)... the film doesn't take this to its logical conclusion. While some may find the incessant flashback-into-present origami/napkin-folding storyline to be exhilarating, I found it to be tedious. Blame it on my film-watching habits, if you like... when a movie is interesting, and I begin to get involved and engrossed, I'm not inclined to being ripped out of the hypnotic state I'm in. If you want to say that the director meant it this way, or that "it follows the book," that still doesn't excuse setting the table and then not serving dinner.
I *did* watch the entire 3-hour director's cut, and I *did* understand every aspect of the film, all of the subplots, and the tie-em-up finale. I "get" the black-and-white significance, and even "dug" the Polish actors as caballeros. But it just didn't move me.
Particularly annoying was the subplot concerning Suarez and Moro. Call me lowbrow, but the slapstick antics of that segment did not cause me to chuckle, but to bristle.
Perhaps my biggest disappointment came after I had already accepted that the film would drag, but promised myself that some life-altering messages might be thrust my way. Alas for me, none did. No humanist credo, no foibles to examine. Just a few vague moments of spine-tingling thrills, and some very pretty females. Not enough to warrant 180 minutes.
So, get your index finger ready to give me a low score, because I don't recommend this as a chiller, nor a comedy, nor even an "event," but only for aficionados of puzzling foreign films.
However (yes, there is a 'however'... or two)... the film doesn't take this to its logical conclusion. While some may find the incessant flashback-into-present origami/napkin-folding storyline to be exhilarating, I found it to be tedious. Blame it on my film-watching habits, if you like... when a movie is interesting, and I begin to get involved and engrossed, I'm not inclined to being ripped out of the hypnotic state I'm in. If you want to say that the director meant it this way, or that "it follows the book," that still doesn't excuse setting the table and then not serving dinner.
I *did* watch the entire 3-hour director's cut, and I *did* understand every aspect of the film, all of the subplots, and the tie-em-up finale. I "get" the black-and-white significance, and even "dug" the Polish actors as caballeros. But it just didn't move me.
Particularly annoying was the subplot concerning Suarez and Moro. Call me lowbrow, but the slapstick antics of that segment did not cause me to chuckle, but to bristle.
Perhaps my biggest disappointment came after I had already accepted that the film would drag, but promised myself that some life-altering messages might be thrust my way. Alas for me, none did. No humanist credo, no foibles to examine. Just a few vague moments of spine-tingling thrills, and some very pretty females. Not enough to warrant 180 minutes.
So, get your index finger ready to give me a low score, because I don't recommend this as a chiller, nor a comedy, nor even an "event," but only for aficionados of puzzling foreign films.