Imagining Argentina
Picture: B-
Sound: B- Extras: D Film: B-
Christopher Hampton is a writer that occasionally
directs. Carrington (1995) was a
fine debut, followed by mixed results by going into Hitchcock territory by
adapting Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent a year later. That put his want or need to helm a film on
hold until Imagining Argentina in 2003, his first film set closer to the
modern day. Set in the real-life
takeover of a militarist government in 1983, musician Carlos Rudea (Antonio
Banderas) has a wife (Emma Thompson) who is kidnapped for writing an article in
the newspaper about people disappearing.
That displeases the Fascist forces within the regime and
she is nabbed at the beginning. Now, he
is searching for her while trying to protect his teenaged daughter, with the
twist that he is suddenly clairvoyant.
That does not turn this into a thriller or allow him to become a hero,
so he suffers and tries to race to save what he has. The twist ultimately is used to show more abuse and murder, but
the film never makes the big statement it might think it is making, though just
nearly showing the abuses is a plus.
Some will have problems with Thompson playing a native of Argentina, but
she is good and not on screen enough to make one not believe. She also contributed to the screenplay. Ruben Blades also stars in this ambitious
project that may not always pan out, but is more interesting to watch because
we do not see this kind of political story told enough. In recent times outside of documentary work,
only Roman Polanski’s Death & The Maiden (1994) is much more
effective.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 x 1 image is not bad,
with a clean transfer that has some depth and consistent color and video black
throughout. Cinematographer Guillermo
Navarro has a solid track record of work including Desperado, Four
Rooms, From Dusk ‘till Dawn, Spawn, Jackie Brown and Hellboy. This is a much less stylized, but no less
interesting work, showing his capacities in representing a more naturalistic
world. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is not
bad, though the film is as dialogue based as anything. There are no extras, but Imagining
Argentina is worth a look just because it is so different and has its
moments.
- Nicholas Sheffo
