Ivonne Montero & co in "Asesino en Serio" [2002 Mexico, Spain]

Antonio Urrutia's outrageous comedy "Asesino en Serio" [Eng. Titles: Serious Killer, I Murder Seriously] is one of those deliciously tacky films you'll love to have in your collection. I had reviewed this several years ago, but this a reappraisal from my DVD.

The film is a sumptuous feast - it is ridiculously funny in places, especially the scenes between the protagonist Jesús Ochoa who plays the crime investigating officer Martínez, and Santiago Segura who plays the priest Gorkisolo, where liberal helpings of satire are dished out. It is also sexy with some seriously gorgeous Mexican beauties spicing things up. The casting, cinematography, direction, and of course the exquisite soundtrack give it the essential Latin flavour. There may be a lot of goofs and inaccuracies if you want to really nit-pick, but that is actually part of the film's charm. And I'm quite surprised Antonio Urrutia hasn't made a film since. But if you like Latin American cinema, you'll simply love this - needless to say, Highly Recommended Viewing..!

Commandante Martínez is puzzled by the strange spate of murders in his neighbourhood - dead women found wearing the broadest of smiles, as if they were in a state of ecstasy when they breathed their last. The coroner establishes that the deaths were caused by 'fatal' orgasms. Martinez traces the murders to a recent discovery by an archeologist - about erotic techniques used by mesoamericans. Which leads him to a priest who'd been perfecting his technique of the new-found knowledge upon unsuspecting prostitutes. It so happens that Martínez also needs to master the technique if he's to survive an elaborate plot to eliminate him...




Compilation 1: Laila Saab, Liana Iniesta, and others



Scene Guide:

• This must be one of the sexiest opening credits in film - a student seduces her professor-archeologist to see if his theories about mesoamerican eroticism are true - with devastating consequences. Endearingly beautiful Laila Saab plays the sexy student who soon ends up dead, leaving Martínez and his team baffled. The coroner reports that she was filled with vaginal fluids at the time of death. The track “Amado Mío” by Pink Martini is simply perfect for this scene.
• Victim no: 2 - Father Gorkisolo tries out his newly acquired knowledge on Estelita, a local prostitute, played by Liana Iniesta. Martínez investigates.
• Victim no: 3 - which I think is played by Fabiola Torres, but I'm now not sure.
• Victim no: 4 - actress uncredited.

Compilation 2: Ivonne Montero
Yolanda is the love-interest of Martínez.He soon discovers that she's a scheming bitch out to eliminate him after being appointed beneficiary to his life insurance - she wants to live with her real lover with some extra comfort. Yolanda is played by 'mamacita caliente' Ivonne Montero.



Scene Guide:

• Martínez with Yolanda - sparks fly but the poor ol' chap couldn't contain his excitement. All I'd say is, Jesús Ochoa is one lucky b*stard.
• An extension of the above scene from the DVD extras.
• Yolanda makes sure her next date with Martínez will be special. By now he already knows about her cunning plan and is plotting one of his own.
• Martínez shows Yolanda her birthday present - the insurance document, and soon treats her to his newly acquired technique. He also OD's her lover and places him next to her body.
• CSI Mexico arrive and are still bickering over the reason for Yolanda's death.
• Brief scene of Martínez with the only woman who seems to care about him - prostitute Gilda, played by Gabriela Roel. She tells him that he almost 'killed her' - oh really..!

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