Towards Darkness 2008 Hacia la Oscuridad

Monpirri says on Mar 21, 2008, 14:50:

Romance and Ransom in Colombia

Friday, March 21, 2008 Last Update: 5:12 PM ET

By LAURA KERN
Published: March 14, 2008
That someone is kidnapped in Colombia every three hours is a startling statistic — and one that offers many cinematic possibilities. But “Towards Darkness," which presents one particularly convoluted fictional case, fails to use any of them to advantage, despite how close the writer and director, Antonio Negret, is to the subject: three members of his family have been the victims of kidnappings.
Instead his sloppily executed film plays like a car commercial (an American F.B.I. agent races against time and traffic to deliver the ransom) and a military-recruitment promo (a helicopter-borne special-ops team prepares for damage control). It also resembles a less slick version of “24," though it avoids that show’s bracing real-time format for pace-deadening flashbacks intended to flesh out the characters, specifically the young kidnapping victim, José (Roberto Urbina) — and his romance with Luiza (a very un- "Ugly Betty"-like America Ferrera) — who otherwise would have spent the entire film bound and blindfolded until his (maddeningly predictable) fate is decided.
As an alternative, watch “Secuestro Express" (2004), about a similar kidnapping in Venezuela, which conveys the grave urgency of the situation with style and suspense, something the well-intentioned “Towards Darkness" only glimpses. Awareness-building alone doesn’t make a good movie.

TOWARDS DARKNESS
Opens on Friday in New York and Santa Fe.

Written (in Spanish and English, with English subtitles) and directed by Antonio Negret; director of photography, John Ealer; edited by Luis Carballar, Paulo Carballar and Evan Schiff; music by Chris Westlake; production designer, Jason Sweers; produced by Craig Anderson and Luiza Ricupero; released by Peace Arch Entertainment and Negret Films. In Manhattan at the Quad Cinema, 34 West 13th Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes.
WITH: America Ferrera (Luiza Montero), Roberto Urbina (José Gutierrez), Tony Plana (Carlos Gutierrez), David Sutcliffe (Charlie Bain), William Atherton (John King) and Cameron Daddo (Victor Ramis).

http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/03/14/movies/14dark.html

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Mar 21, 2008, 14:53:

Laura Kern what does she know about Colombia?

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Simon says on Mar 21, 2008, 15:06:

"That someone is kidnapped in Colombia every three hours is a startling statistic"

What BS is this? Kidnappings have decreased by 75% since 2002 (thanks to you know who)!

"Just an honest, decent Colombian trying to do the right thing."--Simon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Mar 21, 2008, 15:12:

Talking about biased media, they still believe Colombia today is the same as Colombia in 2002 or 2003.

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Simon says on Mar 21, 2008, 15:38:

Monpiri, I would say many of them think it's the same Colombia as in 1988!

"Just an honest, decent Colombian trying to do the right thing."--Simon

0 funny, 0 helpful.

CatGirl says on Mar 21, 2008, 15:48:

I was told that filming is limited to only certain locations in Colombia...This is another reason films are so sparse ;))

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Mar 23, 2008, 17:45:

Correction:
Talking about biased media, they still believe Colombia today is the same as Colombia in 1988.

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cali373 says on Oct 16, 2008, 11:19:

America Ferrera sounds like she grew up in the US. oh yeah she did

Smile if you are a thinker!

0 funny, 0 helpful.