Mensaka
Picture: C
Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C+
Mensaka (1996) offers the intriguing
premise of a Rock band in Spain faced with the dilemma of whether they will
sing a long-term contract with Warner Music, or not to avoid being miserable
from selling out. It is a great idea,
but the characters are so bogged down with drug-use, uncertainty, and internal
conflicts that it simply never matters.
It is a great story idea, but they are not even enough of a Rock band
(or ever established credibly enough as one) for the film to take off.
The title refers to the Spanish term for a motorbike
messenger, who turns out to be the most interesting character in the film. The acting is good, but cannot save the
problematic script. You have the
stereotypical sleazy agent, the groupies, the infidelity, more drugs, and no
point. This film being made in 1996 may
be part of the problem, as so much music is being passed off as Rock that is
simply does not qualify as such. The
main point being that it is too safe, tired, Pop radio friendly, and sounds
like both everything we have heard before and everything out there.
Language barrier not withstanding, none of these songs
said anything, and none of the songs were very memorable, and I just finished
watching this minutes ago! The film is
even based on a book! Wonder if it had
music lyrics in it. Director Salvador
Garcia Ruiz actually directs this well, but there is not that much to direct
insofar as rich content is concerned. I
really want to see another Ruiz film, even though this one never clicked.
The letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image has digititis all over the
frame throughout, but cinematographer Ted Delgado does capture the mood of the
situations very well, so the problems here are not his either. This was nicely shot. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is supposed to
have surrounds, but do not really feature any on this DVD, which also has
absolutely no extras.
Finally, I have seen many Spanish films by now and I did
not learn more about the country from this film. I could by default missed some subtle things about it by simply
never having visited or lived there, but even anything such as that being
pointed out to me could not possibly bail this film out of the corner it put
itself in.
- Nicholas Sheffo
