Intacto (2001) User Reviews (80)

Great Movie, Greater Script

[Quicksand · 8/10 · 28 February 2003]

The more I think about this film, the more I liked it. The script was extremely well-written, with appropriate twists and turns for each of the numerous characters-- not just the antagonist and one other, as usually happens.

It's a great idea. What if Luck were a quantifiable commodity, and certain people had the ability to take it from others? What if such people were only one in a billion? The premise reminded me somewhat of "Unbreakable," but this movie has so many more complex characters and is so much better written-- yes, really.

However, the more I think about this film, the more I realize how much I disliked the cinematography, editing, production design, and lighting. I know they probably didn't have a lot of money to spend, but a good DP isn't hard to find. Making much of the movie literally dark to go with the psychological darkness was a fine idea, but executed poorly. It's unfortunate.

The script would make a great read, though, and I suspect that's why the film was able to be made. Those talking about "Adaptation" as an argument for a screenplay to be a legitimate piece of literature would do well to read "Intacto," and leave it at that.

As a film, though, I'd still recommend it. Good job keeping Max von Sydow away from the other actors... he acts circles around them. But the others do okay too. 8/10.

Suspense and mystery movie with top-notch acting , interesting plot and enjoyable set design

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 6 October 2014]

Spanish action/thriller story about desperate as well as enigmatic people intertwined by destiny are subject to the laws of luck and fate . But destiny is hard to care with the rules changing at any moment . The film contains suspenseful and hair rising images and a sinister, mysterious atmosphere . This mystery movie trips at the first hurdle with a staggeringly banal angle on fate . A weird tale of four people whose lives are mingled and they then discover that luck is something they cannot afford to be without as they gamble with the highest stakes possible in a deadly game from which only one of them will emerge intact , but not that incoherence is the main problem . It deals with four players , each the sole survivor a catastrophe , vie for supremacy in some dangerous deeds . There is Tomas (Leonardo Sbaraglia) , a stealer who survives a plane crash , Sam (Max Von Sidow) , a Holocaust survivor who lives in a casino in the desert ; Federico (Eusebio Poncela) who survived an earthquake and Sara (Monica Lopez) , a policewoman who walked away from a car crash that murdered her family and becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind a clandestine gambling ring where death and luck intermingle . As good fortune , we're asked to believe , not only exist , but can be transferred and robbed through physical contact , even with photographs . In the flick happens rare happenings , such as an insect lands on a treacle-smothered head , a sprint blindfold through the forest knocking themselves and many other things .

The picture displays thriller , mystery , suspense , shocks , grisly scenes and intriguing events when a motley group crosses ways until an amazing finale . Intriguing film contains thrills , chills , suspense , twists and turns , and results to be quite entertaining . The atmosphere and perverse intrigue enhance as well as the relationship among protagonist develops . From start to finish the intrigue and suspenseful scenes are continuous till a striking ending . The film plays with various concepts as Russian roulette , hooded faces , blessed survivors , casualty , luck , random and destiny . It has a couple of twists piled on top of one central twist concerning about a startling meeting and a strange quality which bears the misfit group who seems to be a supernatural deed . Attractive set pieces pass the time along with magnificent production design . Screenplay does something strange by the end : it actually removes the stakes of everything that came before with its trio of revelations that at first test and then demolish any credulity the movie had built up by that point . Nice performances from Leonardo Sbaraglia , a young thief and the sole survivor of a horrific plane crash ; Eusebio Poncela , who survived a massive earthquake and discovered he has the power to rob those around him of their good fortune with a touch and Max Von Sidow , a casino owner who is the ultimate survivor after losing everything but his own life in the terrible conflagration that enveloped Europe during the Second World War . Support cast is frankly well such as Paz Gomez , Guillermo Toledo and special mention to Antonuio Dechent .

Xavi Gimenez cinematography is excellent creating a frightening and scary atmosphere , he's expert on sombre photography (Fragile , Agora , Red lights , Nameless) . Being filmed on location in Las Cañadas del Teide, La Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain . The film crew could not get permission for filming from a helicopter in the National Park of "Las Cañadas del Teide", so they used a remote controlled mini-helicopter . Sensitive as well as thrilling musical score by Lucio Godoy (Blackthorn , Fin , All about my mother , Mataharis , Triage) . Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (Intacto , 28 Weeks Later) isn't exactly a visionary director like the film bills him as, but he is good at approaching films with style and consistent moods . The director made an editing the film was a big challenge , it was a long, complex process because of the story's complex structure. The film will appeal to suspense buffs , as it gets some decent set pieces , though sometimes chaotic thriller , however , resulting to be a good flick .

A Bit Confusing, But Entertaining & Visual

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 28 January 2007]

This Spanish film is a strange one, a hard one to follow story-wise, but visually striking and interesting most of the way. The fact is wasn't always easy to follow will help me want to watch this again to see if I can figure things out better.

The story involves people with th ability to steal "luck" from other people and then taking it away from fellow takers. Make sense? I didn't think so. Despite the difficulty following and understanding everything, I still enjoyed this film.

The DVD transfer is sharp, too, and has good sound. It's an intriguing film and, perhaps, I should have waited for a second viewing when I understood more things about the story. Suffice to say I thought enough of this film to buy it because I knew I'd be watching this multiple times.

All in the game

[jotix100 · 7 January 2003]

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is a Spanish director who dares to be different to show us this visionary tale where chance, luck, passion and possibility are behind the action of this thriller. In doing so, he gets away from the formulas of the other Spanish filmmakers working in the Spanish cinema of today. He belongs to a new bred of creators with a sharp eye for detail and cinematic style.

This film pretends to be a game of wits between Federico and Tomas, who are connected in a strange way to the mysterious inhabitant of the casino, Samuel. Much of the early action is a bit confusing because the viewer doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. The scenery where the casino is located looks as though it could be on the moon, for its bareness and lack of life.

The acting if very good. Leonardo Sbaraglia is Argentina's gift to Spain. He's an interesting actor to watch; he has a very enigmatic look about himself. Eusebio Poncela is very effective as the shadowy figure of Federico. Max Von Sydow brings his royal presence as Samuel, the master player of the game that pits him against all the others that dare come close to him.

This film exudes intelligence and a film script above the mediocrity of what passes as Spanish Cinema these days, thanks to director Fresnadillo and his team.

Rather good luck

[stensson · 7/10 · 15 May 2003]

A film where people steal the luck from each other just by touch, doesn't sound like a real thriller. And the excitement isn't the main thing here, although there are some strong scenes. This is about morality. What is it really which gives you a better life than others? Do you deserve it or do you not?

Max von Sydow is once again doing one of his old rascals. He is good as usual but not brilliant (as usual). The character you might remember is Monica Lopez' police woman. A true luck consumer.

An extraordinary thriller with some excitement too.

More luck needs to be handed out

[joker-4 · 7/10 · 26 August 2003]

Definitely building on an original premesis, INTACTO explores the factor of good luck as a talent, a possession, a power, that one can gain control over and master, or have it irrevocably taken away from.

The film shows a neat sampling of sophisticated games of chance in which luck, rather than skill, must dominate to win. What the film doesn't do, unfortunately, is explore the inner workings of this power of luck. How is Samuel able to take - or give - this power away? Juan Carlos Fresnadillo shows how luck works in the games, but does this run of good luck work on all fronts? Is Tomas able to go into a pub and walk out with the hottest chick there on his arm because he is lucky? Certainly Sara is lucky enough to have escaped the automobile accident, but does she feel that's luck that she survived? And were any of these characters lucky before the events that drew attention to them?

INTACTO imaginatively moves these characters into a, seriously, winner-takes-all environment, yet there was definitely room for more exploration. And such exploration would not have burdened the film either.

Luck,fate,love composed in a poem.

[boskijan · 9/10 · 16 March 2005]

What is perhaps crucial about this movie is that it is shaped for a sophisticated cine-maniac,not so very keen about action and plot,rather willing to focus on the very atmosphere of the movie and the questions it puts in front of the viewer.

Whole idea of the movie is to find the real connection between love and luck,to investigate whether they are two sides of the same story. If one believes love could be a drug much more powerful than heroine , what to tell about luck - especially if one's life is all about taking advantage and satisfaction of luck possessed.

Slow,bit dream-like narration,avoiding obvious solutions,think-forcing movies and great photography makes Intacto my favorites.

To conclude I can quote Jill Scott:"gave me things to think about"

Could have been better

[gsygsy · 6/10 · 7 August 2014]

An interesting idea - transferable luck - is padded out with a cops-and-robbers tale, as if the writers didn't feel the central idea was strong enough to sustain a whole movie. As it happens, what works in INTACTO derives from that interesting idea, and what doesn't work stems from the conventional stuff.

The uneven whole is held together by its charismatic leading man (Leonardo Sbaraglia), doggedly supported by Eusebio Poncela and the effortless gravitas of Max von Sydow. Mónica López does her best as the pursuing detective, but I found myself indifferent to whether or not she bagged her quarry.

...luck is a real primitive force, don't kid yourself.

[fimetic · 9/10 · 18 December 2004]

There is a strange atavistic, primitive even primeval core to this film. I spent part of my childhood in south west Ireland; I can clearly remember that people (men with a winning streak at the races or at cards or anything where luck is involved) would be touched by others to steal some of their luck. Those individuals with the lucky streak would do their best to avoid such contacts, often with threats of violence! This was all over sixty years ago. These primitive superstitions ought not to be easily discounted. Not so long ago man was much closer to the shadows of the forest than we sophisticates. The evil eye was a real force, the green man really existed. Our ancestors knew this. I loved this film I know something of what the film is trying to recapture before it's lost forever. It's not an easy film to sit through first time but stick with it. There's gold here. Technically it's making is first class. The acting is flawless and the directing to die for; it succeeds brilliantly on every front. This film will remain in my collection of great film memories. I recommend it to all and pay homage to those who made it.

Original stuff

[Chris_Docker · 7/10 · 7 May 2003]

The idea behind this story is that certain people have the 'gift' of luck and can both pass it on to others or take it away from them. But this is no happy-go-lucky feelgood movie. The 'lucky' people form a disturbing subculture, playing off each other in ever more disturbing games of chance to test their 'luck'. Intacto is originally devised and intelligently executed, yet for some reason lacks the punch of a major movie.

Dull

[zetes · 4/10 · 24 February 2008]

The debut feature of the man who would go on to direct 28 Weeks Later, one of the best horror films of the decade. This one is a thriller, of sorts. It has a very weird and original concept. Set in the underground world of gambling, it's about a group of people who see luck as a tangible item, that can be had, bet, transferred, taken away, what have you. The film follows the sole survivor of a plane crash as he is recruited by another man to enter this world. The king of the subculture is Max von Sydow, a holocaust survivor who is supposedly the luckiest man ever to live. Meanwhile, a female detective who also has amazing powers of luck is searching for the plane crash survivor, who was on the plane fleeing after robbing a bank. The concept is interesting, but Fresnadillo and his co-writer, Andrés M. Koppel, have a difficult time establishing it. It never stops seeming silly. It's also confusingly told and badly edited. I never really understood the role the detective played. That whole character could have been dropped, the whole bank robbery thing, too, and the film would have thankfully lost 20 to 25 minutes and been a lot more streamlined. As it is, the movie's a slog. The only decent parts are the bizarre gambling games they play. One has a gigantic, bioluminescent insect released into a dark room. Whosever head it lands on wins. The best sequence in the movie – and even it could have been greatly improved with better editing – has gamblers with their hands tied behind their backs and blindfolds. The object is to run through a forest at full speed. The last person standing, having not brained him/herself on a tree, wins. Someone needs to propose this event as a reality game show. I'm sure at least someone in Japan would produce it!

You cannot remain intact after seeing this

[pumaye · 8/10 · 3 May 2004]

A masterpiece of the new wave of Spanish cinema that is invading the world in this new millennium, this strange, fascinating thriller has one of the greatest ideas of all times used very well till the end of the movie: imagine someone who has the power to steal good luck from other people and using it he may become powerful, but bored in the end. So he uses his wealth to research other people who has the same power or a similar one (people who has survived all sort of terrible accidents) to challenge them in a sort of Russian roulette. Max Von Sydow is the old concentration camp survivor that establish this "game", while other interesting faces of the Spanish scenario are his comrades in this trade over each other destiny that is gripping, tense and full of surprise until the end, when all comes full circle and you exit from the cinema conscious that you have seen a gem, a rare, rare gem.

"Do you feel lucky, punk?"

[=G= · 6/10 · 27 June 2003]

"Intacto", Spanish for "intact", is how the characters in this flick hope to be when they survive deadly no-skill games they play to determine who has the most luck. The "Intacto" story is revealed one piece at time so as to maintain interest in what is not a very interesting plot. Given that none of the characters are particularly likeable and there's little reason beyond idle curiosity to care how the film ends, "Itacto" makes for a somewhat engrossing but unsatisfying watch. (C+)

A vague concept and some nice set pieces do not cover a lack of logic, tension or narrative cohesion

[bob the moo · 21 December 2004]

For us "normal" people luck comes in streaks of good and bad, sometimes we have rotten luck, sometimes we fluke something and sometimes miracles happen. However for some people "luck" is a gift that is always with them but can be lost with the touch of another person with the same gift. When Federico is stripped of his gift by Samuel, a survivor of the concentration camps, he sets out to find another gifted as he was and use him as a way back into the series of games they play. He finds Tomas – the only survivor or a massive airplane crash that killed over 230 others. However, when Tomas flees his hospital bed he is pursued by a police officer, haunted by the loss of her husband and son, who also has the gift.

This film opens with a cool sense of atmosphere with people wearing hoods, long corridors, mysterious characters and so on, providing it with a good start but not one it builds on. That it manages to continue with a good visual style and a cool thriller atmosphere is what I will give it credit for but to me these are not enough to make this film work. The plot is very little more than a basic premise, which, although it acted as a very interesting hook, failed to serve anything in the way of substance or narrative up. The plot lacks logic and it relies on a series of reasonably good set pieces (the games) to keep the interest in the film up – I can see why Hollywood has bough the rights to remake it because it does have style and, if it gets a big name and a thriller director, the lack of substance shouldn't worry too many execs. The ending is good but by that point I wasn't feeling all that involved in the film and it had missed its chance to really get me on board.

In many ways the film reminded me of "Lucky Star", which some may remember was an advert pretending to be a trailer for a film about a man with impossible luck (played by Del Toro and directed by Michael Mann) but I thought the advert did it better. The characters are also pretty thin; I expected them to be complex and interesting considering the plot, but they were tools more than people. With this in mind, the cast actually did OK with what they have. Sbaraglia was a good presence with a good range; Poncela was coolly mysterious; Lopez was passionate and held the attention, but von Sydow just seems to be off in his own film somewhere, just filling time with the second unit director until the rest of the cast meet up with him.

Overall this has a concept that will bring many too it, but it doesn't do anything with it and it never really managed to get a good, involving story built up around it nor create characters to be held by. It is not terrible though, just hollow and unsatisfying – a few set pieces and consistently stylish direction and atmosphere all add value but this will be one time when I'm actually looking to a Hollywood remake to be an improvement.

Weird and Intriguing Tale About Fate, Luck and Gambling

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 8 December 2004]

In an isolated casino in the middle of a desert, the mysterious Jewish Samuel (Max von Sydow), a survivor of the Holocaust, promotes weird bets, where the prize is the fate of persons and the life of the gambler. His former right arm is Federico (Eusebio Poncela), who has a situation with Samuel and becomes his enemy, looking for revenge. Federico meets Tomas (Leonardo Sbaraglia), a thief of a bank and unique survivor of a plane crash, through a life insurance policy and uses him to his vendetta against Samuel. The detective Sara (Mónica López), who lost her husband and daughter in a car accident, chases Tomas along his journey. 'Intact' is a weird and intriguing tale about fate, luck and gambling. The story has a kind of attraction, since the screenplay is original, the cast has great performances, the locations and photography are excellent, but I did not like the plot. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): 'Intacto' ('Intact')

A fascinating and enigmatic study of luck and chance

[mob61uk · 7/10 · 20 July 2002]

A high percentage of films which I've seen at this year's festival have been good quality. This one is no exception. A fascinating and enigmatic study of luck and chance, which is directed with some style and skill by Fresnadillo. I'll need to give the film another viewing before making up my mind about the plot, but the film is good enough to justify seeing it more than once. Recommended.

3.5 stars (out of 4)

[mweston · 8/10 · 11 January 2003]

This film puts you in the middle of a world where luck isn't all luck. In this world some people really *do* have more luck than others, and it can be transferred from one person to another by touch. But this isn't a film that spells things out-you're immersed and have to figure it out on your own.

Very early in the film we see Federico win several rounds of roulette in a row, betting on single numbers. He goes to see the owner of the casino, Sam (Max von Sydow), who hugs Federico (taking his luck) and then throws him out of the casino. Federico wants revenge, so he begins to look for a very lucky person to help him. He finds Tomás, the sole survivor of a plane crash.

To say more about the plot would give away too much, so I won't. The film is visually beautiful and unique, and there are a few scenes that will likely stick with you for weeks (I can say this with certainty since as I write this it's been over two weeks since I watched the film). I'm not normally someone who seeks out thrillers, but I'm very glad I saw this one.

Seen on 11/9/2002 at the 2002 Hawaii International Film Festival.

slow paced but original

[eyesofsociety · 7/10 · 30 December 2003]

at first viewing, this was such a great flick (even when it was pretty slow at points). i loved the originality in this movie and was opted to show my friends. max von sydow (exorcist, 7th seal) had a very good performance.

at second viewing i thought they were going to get bored of it, but maybe they didn't because they were trying to figure some things out. i already knew everything so it was kind of a drag for me. this movie is from the same director as 'abre los ojos' (open your eyes) and that is on my list of top 3 movies.

refreshingly different

[zzapper-2 · 9/10 · 12 April 2003]

Saw this by chance when my wife and I walked by Oxford's "art" cinema, just as the film was showing. All we knew was that it was a Spanish Thriller. That's all you need to know as well go see it!! Drat I've got to add a fourth line of comment so here it is.

impressed - 7/10

[florareddaway · 7/10 · 8 July 2003]

I feel some people's comments about this film are unfair.I think the pace of this movie suited it's style. Clearly this is not the type of film that people used to the fast pace of films like the fast and the furious would enjoy but does that matter? I thought that the overall image of this film was fantastic. i especially loved the red hallway in the casino. Unfortunatley i came late to the cinema and missed the first quarter of an hour of the film and was therefore a little puzzled at first but i was really impressed by this film. i hadn't read any reviews of the film before i went to see it and i only went to see it because i have promised myself i would become a better film student and make better use of our local Art house cinema. i normally fall asleep during late night showings but this film kept my attention throughout. I recommend this film to anyone who appreciates the esthetics of a film and would like to make themselves watch more films from outside of the U.S.

Great style, not so great story

[bandw · 5/10 · 30 June 2012]

I think that this is meant to be a meditation on fate couched in a fantasy about luck. This movie asks you to follow a tale about some people who are preternaturally lucky and about one person in particular, Sam, who is the supreme being of the lucky. Sam is so lucky that he survives many games of roulette where he gives a challenger first crack at shooting him with a six-shooter having only one empty chamber. Even if Sam has survived ten of these challenges, his odds of survival are about ten million to one. So, you have to take the premise with a grain of salt and try to just go with it. The movie is structured like reporting on a sporting event where the players bet on their luck to survive events like crossing a busy highway blindfolded, or running blindfolded through a dense forest. Those who make in through these trials intact ultimately get to face Sam and his roulette game--kind of like getting to the World Series of the lucky people. In addition there are some mystical elements thrown in, like Sam's being able to suck the luck out of someone by touching them, as if luck were a commodity of exchange. Then there are some musings on how an apparently lucky event may turn out poorly in the long run. The story was too much of an abstraction to seriously engage me.

On the upside director Fresnadillo has style. Many scenes have you on the edge of your seat, like the scene that has the blindfolded men racing through the dense forest with their being sequentially taken out by hitting a tree at a dead run. Or there is a car accident that is the most chilling and realistic I have scene. And it is impossible not to flinch when someone fires in a game of roulette, as those who watched "The Deer Hunter" will attest. The story is filmed in an intricate style that interleaves the lives of four protagonists, both in real time and in flashbacks. This style works for me when everything comes together in a revelatory climax. While everything did come together in the end, I found it to be more of an anti-climax than a grand climax.

The actors do well enough, but this in not the kind of movie that depends much on strong dramatic performances. As Sam, Max von Sydow is pretty much wasted, except he is good at projecting a world-weary sadness.

This is the only Fresnadillo film I have seen; I am hoping he can apply his talents to better stories.

Good thriller screaming for an American remake!

[cifra2 · 8/10 · 15 November 2001]

Director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo became famous in Spain by being nominated for the Oscar for best short subject with his short "Esposados", which I found refreshing but somewhat overrated. Anyways... he went to Hollywood, knowing that he didn't have a chance of winning and wanting to take his chances of selling the rights for distribution of three films to Miramax. The first of these films is called "Intacto", starring argentinian Leonardo Sbaraglia, spaniard Eusebio Poncela and swedish Max von Sydow (yes, "The Exorcist" in person).

The plot: The film starts at a casino in the middle of a desert. We know there two characters: Federico (Poncela) and Sam (Sydow). The first one is the protegee of the second, the master of luck... a man who has the power to get other people's luck (by touching - even hugging - them, and by getting photos of them)... well... Federico was the sole survivor of an earthquake, and Sam was also the sole survivor of a nazi camp... both has high amount of luck, and also Federico at this time is the only person allowed to see Sam's face!

Federico thinks it's high time he got his own way, away from Sam, who has raised him since childhood and that earthquake... so Sam is not going to let Federico go... with his good luck.

A few years later, we meet Federico searching fortunate people that can let him get back to Sam and have revenge... because Federico now has the "power" of give bad luck to the people who touch him... or that he touches. After a failed - another failed we suppose - attempt to find the right person with the right luck, he manages to meet Tomas, a thief that is the sole survivor of a plane crash and is in an hospital, under arrest. He frees Tomas, and offers him to play some games, in which anything but money is can be bet.

Then we know Sara (Monica Lopez), a female cop which wants to catch Tomas again, and has herself her own personal history with luck (good? bad? you can never tell: this is one of the most moving characters in the film)... and the hunt begins.

I won't go too far in details of what happens next, with the sole exception of that another important character is introduced, a bullfighter (Antonio Dechent) who retired without ever being harmed... and also likes to play the games Federico and Tomas NEED to play.

The ending of course will take place at the casino, with the five main characters being involved... it is no spoiler, since from the first minutes of the film it is clear that the casino is for Federico what Itaca was for Ulysses. The difference is that instead of Penelope's love, he's looking for revenge.

The acting: range from very good (Lopez, Dechent) to great (Sydow, Sbaraglia and Poncela). I foresee a best actor nod at the Goyas (Spanish Oscars) for Eusebio Poncela.

The flaws of the film... a few. The most important for me was that in a couple of times the director remarked too much some aspects (I think too much explanation is bad). And also it is maybe a little slow for the average thriller viewer, but this is more like "Unbreakable"... Yeah, it has many shares with "Unbreakable", but it is really different. To compare both films is just as dumb as to do so with "The Sixth Sense" with "The Others". Needless to say that "Unbreakable" and "Intacto" doesn't share endings at all... don't expect a twist ending in this one (and that is the first of the strenghts of the film is that one: FINALLY A THRILLER WITHOUT TWIST ENDING!).

The strenghts: Fresnadillo's direction is strong. When I saw the film, I somehow KNEW this one is going to go to America and success. Believe me. Another Fincher? I don't think so, but he's good enough. The landscapes (the movie was shot at the Canary Islands) and the game scenes are great!

How I rate this film? 8 points. 4 stars out of five. Could have been a masterpiece, but it delivers the goods. And it is fairly better than most of the thrillers I've seen in a long time.

not too bad luck

[Movie-Man · 7/10 · 2 November 2003]

I thought this was a rather interesting idea. Somewhat incomprehencable at times but I think that's the beauty of philosophical films like this.

The acting might not be top notch all the time and the begining of the film is rather slow and boring. But the more of the games you see and the further into the story it gets, the better it gets.

7/10

Movie-Man

Just Don't Know

[frankwhat · 5/10 · 15 December 2004]

Well it certainly appears that someone out there wanted to give David Lynch a run for his money! Calling this film weird would be a vast understatement. I did like the idea of being able to give and take away luck and how different people could use their gift of it but as mentioned by others there were some blatant plot holes and some scenes that just didn't fit in with the rest of the movie. Max Von Sydow was awesome and he is such a good actor it's a real shame that he wasn't used by more American directors because I don't think he has ever given a bad performance. While I didn't really recognize the other people I think they did a pretty stand up job themselves. My favorite scenes had to be the Russian Roulette ones as they got fairly intense. What I didn't understand however is why they threw in characters that had no relationship to anyone else and had them making quick cameos. This completely baffled me to no end! All in all I think it was a great idea, incredible acting, but ridiculed with some bad writing.

Final Translation:

Movies: Say it with me...NO!

DVD Purchase: One more time...No!

Rental: If you're in the mood for a peculiar foreign flick.

EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OR A LEAP OF FAITH ?

[abisio · 24 February 2003]

INTACTO (INTACT) is the story of a group of `gamblers' whose ultimate bet is their own life (or others peoples life). Sam (Max Von Sydow) a Jewish only survivor of a concentration camp, runs a high class Hotel / Casino in the in a volcanic island. There; while normal people use money, others come to bet their possessions (which are not money) against Sam's wealth (the casino and other `things' he won over the years). The game, Russian roulette, one empty chamber, the challenger shoots first. Sam's protégé, Federico, concerned that Sam may someday lost, and moved by his own ambition, decides to go against him, but to avoid the confrontation, Sam `de-activate' Federico.

At this point you are probably questioning about what I am writing; well, basically these characters can control LUCK. Yes, they have plenty and are able to steal others people luck and use it for their own profit or as a possession to bet against others.

Federico is no longer able to control luck; so he must find his own protégé to play against Sam, and finds Tomas, a fugitive (only survivor of a plane crash) whose only interest is to run away. Three other characters emerge: a police woman, a bull fighter and Tomas ex-girlfriend; everyone is a part of the destiny of the others.

Harry Potter is nowhere around; there are no WIZARDS or enchantments. If you ever knew a gambler, you probably heard about their eccentricities, like do not touch them, do not take pictures a some other things many people believe and many others are afraid to confront.

The basic principle of atheism is that men control their own destiny; and that is precisely the question here. All these people believe in themselves; they are their own God, but also when their faith is lost, also are their powers. Are there really powers ?. The answer of these questions is absolutely metaphysical because faith in itself has no logical explanation.

Fresnadillo's movie is not for everyone. There are no likable heroes (every character is moved by selfishness or ambition), and the premise is absolutely about religion and nothing about the material world (even when seems the contrary). At about two hours, the pace is more European than American and are not quite clear, but none of these things are faults, is just a matter of taste.

There are also very intense and interesting scenes like the run in the forest, that will take out your breath.

If you are out for something unconventional, give it a try. It is an interesting game.