Intacto [a.k.a. Intact] (2003)

It is often easy to feel that there is nothing new in the world of film – regardless of how good a movie's plot is, it is generally fairly easy to categorise that plot, and point to similar movies in the past. Every so often a movie comes along that defies this trend, with a fresh and original plot that nobody has tried before. Intacto is one of those movies.

The movie is based on the imaginative premise that Luck is a commodity like any other, and in the hands of the right people it can be traded like any other. Certain people have the gift of being able to absorb other people's luck, they become unnaturally lucky while the ordinary people that provide the luck suddenly find themselves accident-prone. A whole sub-culture has evolved where Luck is traded between people addicted to increasingly unusual games of chance.

The luckiest man in the world is Samuel (Max von Sydow), a concentration camp survivor who lives in his remote Tenerife casino. It is the ambition of all the gamblers to one day be judged lucky enough to be permitted to challenge him in a deadly variant of Russian Roulette, if they win they can then take on the prestige of being the luckiest person alive, if they lose they die.

Samuel's embittered former employee Federico (Eusebio Poncela) is determined to find a protegee lucky enough to challenge his former boss. He thinks he may have found the right candidate in the form of Tomas (Leonardo Sbaraglia), the only survivor of a plane crash. Federico must introduce Tomas to the clandestine world he inhabits, leading to a series of bizarre gambles varying from attracting insects to running blindfolded through a forest. However, Tomas is not the only candidate with the potential to become the world's most fortunate man, and an additional complication is provided by policewoman Sara (Monica Lopez), who is determined to bring down the gambling culture.

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The premise is highly original and it makes for an interesting – if occasionally confusing – plot. The biggest drawback is probably that none of the characters are particularly likeable, however they have plenty of interesting depth and the strange world they inhabit is intriguing. The script could perhaps be a bit clearer, but in some ways the mystery of some events only makes the movie more interesting, even if it's makes it more difficult to care about the characters.

As well as the plot, the other notable feature is the excellent direction – by first time director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Some of the scenes are visually stunning, with the director taking full advantage of Tenerife's unusual landscapes and the unusual spectacle offered by the gambler's contests. The acting is fine, with Max von Sydow drawing on his experience of working on films as varied as “The Seventh Seal” and “Flash Gordon” to deliver an impressively assured performance.

In summary, this Spanish-language film is an excellent piece of work with a stunningly original premise. The unlikeable characters do detract from the film a bit, but this is still a fascinating story.

Rating : 8 / 10

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All content ©2003 William Marnoch.

Comments? Agree/Disagree with the Reviews? Suggestions? Random Ramblings? Whatever you might want to say, feel free to e-mail me at william@wmarnoch.freeserve.co.uk .