Written and directed by Gonzalo Calzada and set in Buenos Aires in 1871, the Argentine feature Resurrección tells the story of Aparicio (Martín Siplak), a young priest who after undergoing a mystical experience sets out to help those infected with the deadly plague. But before arriving in Buenos Aires, Aparicio unexpectedly visits his family house and the scenario he finds is more than unsettling: almost everybody has died. And those who survive are not in good shape — just like the large, abandoned old family house.
Soon, more mystical experiences take place and in due time Aparicio starts questioning the nature of his own fate as well as the meaning of life, all the more so in view of such a dreadful panorama. Consider that resurrection in times of the yellow fever comes at a high price.
Calzada’s opus belongs to the fantastique and more precisely it would fall into the realm of horror. However, such labels do not do it full justice. The imminence of death in a doomed universe, the appearance of ghosts, supernatural happenings and a small dose of fear are just elements to draw a larger picture with existential resonances. In a sense, Resurrección is a study of a character sunk in an acute crisis with himself and his environment.
Whereas there are certain assets from an aesthetic point of view, namely the accomplished cinematography that creates a nightmarish world with very much darkness and an ominous atmosphere, the art direction that recreates quite well the period, and the sound design that gives the film its feeling of underlying tension, the story itself has a very hard time at being dramatic and gripping. Resurrección is a film that looks good, but has not much of a pulse. Like its characters, it’s infected and on the verge of dying anytime soon.
Too talkative, quite devoid of suspense, with long stretches where little happens, an overall sense of tediousness, and too explanatory for its own good, Resurrección is far from the film it might have been. Add the fact that the characters are not exactly what you’d call developed and that Siplak delivers an unconvincing performance, what you have is a perfect storm.
Production notes
Resurreción (Argentina, 2015). Written and directed by Gonzalo Calzada. With Martín Slipak, Patricio Contreras, Vando Villamil, Adrián Navarro, Diego Alonso, Ana Fontán, Lola Ahumada. Cinematography: Claudio Beiza, Miguel Caram. Art direction: Sebastián Roses. Editing: Alejandro Narváez. Running time: 110 minutes.
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