On the one hand, while details of the plot come out in lines of dialogue, the scene writing so heavily deemphasizes dialogue generally that one could feasibly enjoy the picture without full comprehension of the words being spoken. (Say, if the film were incompletely dubbed and subtitled.) On the other hand, being able to watch the movie without a full set of tools also suggests the thrust of the title is somewhat common and unexceptional. A cynic (me) might say that we've seen this movie before, and we'll see it again. This is no especial mark against it, mind you; how many other features could we describe in the same way? And it's well made and entertaining on its own merits. Only, one glance at a basic premise and you know exactly what you're getting into. 'Luna,' also known as 'Luna's revenge,' is a suitable thriller, though it won't necessarily stand out in a crowd.
Young Lisa Vicari is a fine actress, and as the titular character we see her demonstrate some of the range, poise, and strength of personality that would help her to be one of the breakout stars of Netflix's original series 'Dark' a couple years after this. Carlo Ljubek, as primary supporting character Hamid, commands a subtle dark presence that lets his role serve as an anchor against the more volatile protagonist. However, it should be said that there's a bit of a discrepancy in the writing: Luna is centered as the chief figure in the narrative, and gets the most time on screen, yet Hamid plays a more active role in the course of events than she does. This would be even more of a standard thriller if it were called 'Hamid' instead of 'Luna'; alternatively, if the duo's relationship were written as more of an equal partnership - or if Hamid's role were still smaller - the film would have had greater opportunity to flourish. A little more care in development of the characters and narrative would have gone a long way.
Still, the scene writing is very strong, offering thrills, emotional beats, a few rather jolting moments, and some very solid plot ideas. 'Luna' is very well made from a technical standpoint, with excellent direction and cinematography. The ending feels a little gauche for the fact of how much use that approach to story resolution has been getting in movies in the past several years, but it's still duly satisfying. Even having noted Vicari in particular, there's no one specific aspect of this picture to leap to one's attention - but when all is said and done, it's entertaining, and that above all is what the movie hoped to achieve. You don't need to go out of your way to see this, but if you happen to come across it, it's a fair way to pass 90 minutes. Enter with the recognition that you'll recognize some of 'Luna's' story beats in its brethren, and it's easy enough to just kick back and relax.
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