Bacurau — A Review

9th May, 2020.

Yes: it’s officially the case: I’m getting better at solving a Pyramid.

Ish … !

And … ?

Well, OK, it’s not a major achievement, but at least I’ve got something to do with my hands.

I just wish I’d discovered the thing when I was giving up smoking: it possibly could have been useful.

Or re-discovered it: I got the original, a few decades ago … 

At ANY rate … ?

I had rice, eventually … 

And, yes.

I caught a movie … 

~≈♆≈~

Set in the out back of northern Brazil, Bacurau introduces us to Teresa (Bárbara Colen): being slowly driven back to her home village of Bacurau, on that day’s water delivery.

Only to find that there grandmother, Carmelita (Lia de Itamaracá) has died at the age of 94.

It’s only after Carmelita’s funeral that Teresa gets to deliver an important consignment of medications for the village doctor, Domingas (Sônia Braga), and to reconnect with Plinio (Wilson Rabelo).

It’s only whilst this is happening, that Plinio, the village teacher realises that Bacurau … has slowly fallen off the map.

Things start to get twitchy when the villagers lose their phone signals … 

And a pair of mysterious bikers turn up … 

~≈♆≈~

Now … what did I make of Bacurau?

Hmmm … 

I have to admit, Wikipedia calls Bacurau a weird Western: in other words, a mix of western, and something else.

Bacurau certainly seems to count: having Western trappings — an isolated village, a faux sheriff (Thomas Aquino as Pacote), a gunslinger with a shady past (Silvero Pereira’s Lunga) — with invading US hunters* as the invading Mexican raiders.

Hunters, yes: hunters who’ve decided to catch humans, rather than lions.

It’s … 

It’s something I only heard about, after seeing critic Mark Kermode mention it, in his weekly round up of film: mention it, and recommend it.

I figured that’s good enough for me.

Usually?

It’s a good bet if Kermode speaks well of a film, it’s a good bet I’ll like it.

I’ve enjoyed Bacurau: seriously.

It’s just not my usual choice of films.

Bacurau.
★★☆☆

*        Led by Udo Kier, as the as the group’s only slightly deranged leader.