Nighthawk

Hitaan alun jälkeen seuraa jymy-yllätys, josta nautin suurella ilolla. Jotain vastaavaa oli kenties odotettavissa, ottaen huomioon elokuvan avauskohtauksen, jossa säiliöauto ajelee maantielle siroteltujen ruumisarkkujen yli. Ensimmäinen puolisko vaikuttaa tutkimukselta brasilialaisen syrjäseudun kyläyhteisön sosiaalisesta elämästä, mutta sitten meno riistäytyy aggressiiviseksi eloonjäämis- ja kostomeiningiksi, kun vaara uhkaa karikatyyristen amerikkalaisten seikkalijoiden muodossa, jotka ovat tulossa metsästämään paikallisväestöä. Paikallisen matriarkan kuolema elokuvan alussa ei vaikuta liittyvän tarinaan mitenkään, jollei se sitten ole merkki siitä, että kylä lakkaa paikallishallinnon silmissä olemasta ikään kuin jonkin suojeluksessa. [Rakkautta&Anarkiaa 2019] (29.09.2019)

It’s been a long time I saw a movie that would mix genres as frantically as this one, but still managed to make sense in the end. When I saw it in the synopsis that one of the genres is sci-fi and moreover it was made in Brazil, I was ready for basically anything. I had no idea, however, that it will start as a standard social drama from near future, over time turn into a very decent Western (the scenes with the two bikers were awesome), and end up as no less decent brutal action flick. The masterfully shot atmosphere of a little town that the local government wiped from the world map to get rid of it seems almost fantasy-like. A mysterious, but also clearly amicable place where people like each other. At times there are hints of absurdity, which however fit so well into the overall context of the movie, that I find myself quite enjoying this phase of the Brazilian new wave, as the creators behind the Film Brasil festival call it. Had it not been for a few scenes that ran for too long, I might have given it five stars. Anyhow, my thanks go to the creators of the festival for introducing this film to me, as I really enjoyed it! (04.11.2019)

“This is only the beginning.” Transplant Schorm’s The Seventh Day, the Eighth Night into the Brazilian sertão, add tropicalism, Italian westerns and American B-movies (especially action and sci-fi), political satire, electronic music, extreme violence, a carnivalesque blend of disparate elements, the (Bakhtinian) logic of excess, grotesqueness and corporeality, the lack of differentiation between the categories of “high” and “low” art, a mix of social criticism and a utopian vision of a community that preserves the traditions of Brazilian culture and Udo Kier... and you will have only a vague idea of the truly strange nature of this film, which – like the village that serves as its title – rebels against the seamless fusion of different cultures. One of the most striking and refreshing yet, at the same time, most difficult-to-describe film experiences of the year. 80% (18.10.2019)

This much praised Brazilian festival film from Cannes didn't blow me away like the others, but it is definitely an unusual and interesting experience. The story focuses on a gated Brazilian community somewhere near the desert that is rejected by the system. Not only does the town get wiped off the maps, but they also run out of food, water, electricity and American tourists come to hunt. The film flows at a slower pace, but once it moves from social drama to an almost western-thriller with Tarantino-like gore, it's a solid spectacle that doesn't shy away from violence. Admirable for Brazil, but there were a few elements that distracted me (the acting and visuals aren't the film's strongest points, even though that may have been the intention). 6/10. (05.12.2019)

Nighthawk is an unbelievable ride that leaves you staring with your jaw on the floor. It cannot be compared to anything else and is difficult to write about. With its very captivating drive and a skilfully hidden but strong political subtext, it is a great festival flick offering a riveting, even “action” allegory of haughty evil and simple life professing resistance that has to resort to violence. The opening scene of the truck driving through the Brazilian wilderness suggests a unique experience – a promise that the masters Dornelles and Filho more than fulfil. In short, Nighthawk is an explosion of filmmaking creativity. [Cannes] (16.05.2019)