A review: "Volver a morir" [2011 Colombia]

Miguel Urrutia's directorial début "Volver a morir" [Eng. Title: Wake Up and Die] is a horror-thriller centred on a woman having a 'Groundhog Day' type experience, with which she learns to survive a maniac after many failed attempts.

Camila wakes up in a ruffled bed next to a man she doesn't recognise. She remembers having a drink at a bar while waiting for female friends who don't turn up. Finding herself in the stranger's bedroom - his name is Dario, she fears she might have been drugged and brought here, and becomes more suspicious after noticing the bedroom door locked. Dario however smooth-talks his way into convincing Camila for another session of sex, during which he strangles and kills her, only for her to wake up next to him again. This goes on for a number of times until she eventually learns how to avoid getting killed.

Granted that there is merit in the plot - and even if I'm not the greatest fan of the genre, I can see its potential. But the film unfortunately makes a hash of it with not only a nondescript screenplay, but also poor direction and messy post-production - it's not as if they didn't make an effort, but perhaps too much. Quite probably, it's the poor production, particularly the shoddy camera work and lazy lighting that prompted the overcooking. Neither a horror nor an erotic thriller, it is possibly my worst film viewing experience of the year (so far), and I hope the director had dusted himself and carried on regardless of this mishap. But for those who usually don't give a hoot for my opinion, here's the DVD link to the 'uncut' version.

Amazon.de DVD Link [PAL]

 

The Nudity: Andrea Montenegro and Luis Fernando Bohórquez
If I have to dig deep to find a reason to recommend the film - it would be the prospect of watching Andrea Montenegro in the buff, and she obliges by staying nude or barely covered for most of the film's runtime. But I'm afraid you'd yet be disappointed, as we never actually catch a satisfactory glimpse of the 40-something Peruvian-born bombshell, even though she's isn't exactly the shy type in front of camera. Fernando Bohórquez doesn't have as many nude duties, but he's shown full-frontal in a scene that doesn't even require it - possibly to keep the other section of the crowd engaged, I suppose.



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