Info

Original Title: Relatos salvajes
Country: Argentina
Director: Damián Szifron
Release: 2014
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Language: Spanish

15.01.2020: This review was first published on 16.05.2018 and is being updated for a more complete review, together with the publishing of the YouTube Version.

Hello! Welcome to Ulven Reviews!

Relatos salvajes, or Wild Tales, is an anthology movie by Damián Szifron. Showing us six short stories, with people in everyday life situations that take an extreme turn along the way.

World Cup Historic

La Selección Albiceleste played their first official match in 1902, against Uruguay, and is one of the most traditional national teams in the history of football. Russia was their 17th time playing in a FIFA World Cup.

They were champions in 78 and 86, crowning the careers of Mario Kempes and Diego Maradona respectively. They were also second place in 90 and 14, the last one only because of some moments of brilliance from Lionel Messi.

Messi is one of the best players not only in Argentina’s history but in football’s history as a whole. The World Cup is one of the only trophies Messi still don’t have, so I’m sure he’ll be thirsty for it until the last day of his career, or until he wins it.

In 2018, Argentina classified after a rocky group stage, then lost to France in the Round of 16. It was probably Jorge Sampaoli’s worst job as a coach, his most recent doing an outstanding job with Santos FC, finishing second in the Brazilian League even with a weaker team than the opposition.

As for Argentina, while their domestic league is doing good at a continental level, their national team is still struggling, even though they’re better under Lionel Scaloni than under Sampaoli.

Prelude

Wild Tales, as the title suggests, consists of six tales, each one with a mundane event that ends up going over the top. Imagine something that usually annoys you, like the traffic, but with much more inconvenience, to say the least.

The first, titled Pasternak, happens in an airplane, in which every passenger finds out that they know the same man, called Pasternak.

In the second, titled Las Ratas (The Rats), a young waitress has to serve someone who ruined her life, while her coworker gives her ideas of revenge.

The third story, titled El más Fuerte (The Strongest), is two drivers, in a remote and empty road, going way too far with an argument.

The fourth, titled Bombita, is about a man tired of being constantly screwed by the traffic department.

The fifth, titled La propuesta (The Proposal), is about the attempt to cover-up a crime following a DUI.

And the last one, titled Hasta que la Muerte nos separe (Until death do us part), is about a bride that found out about her husband’s affair during their wedding party.

Relatos Salvajes

It took me a long time to watch Wild Tales. Some friends were talking about it, but I was procrastinating because my watchlist is full and long.

Then, one day, I spotted it on some random channel, if I believed in destiny I would say it was it, because my TV is always on sports channels.

I gotta say, I am glad for this randomness because Wild Tales proved to deserve the hype around it.

Most of the segments are good, so the movie is consistent in general. My favorite was Bombita, the fourth story, but the others are up there too. The exception was my least favorite, La propuesta, and the conclusion of the last one.

As a comedy, the film accomplishes its function of making us laugh, having many smart and funny moments. The movie is an exaggeration of reality, and because of the reality aspect of it, the viewers can see themselves in these situations.

Besides the triviality taken to the extreme, another theme present in every one of the segments is revenge. I don’t see any value judgment about it, sometimes it works, others don’t.

The movie is really fast-paced, and I think it’s expected. What we have is, short stories that go from establishing itself, to complete chaos, then the conclusion and everything fast.

I liked the pace in Wild Tales because it worked, while I’ve watched fast-paced movies that makes you want a break from all that. Part of the success of Wild Tales regarding the pace is due to the editing.

I got really impressed at the technical quality of the movie, I have to give major props to Damián Szifron and all the crew behind the camera because Wild Tales is absolutely brilliantly executed. The visual is perfectly polished, and I really loved the camera movements.

With some segments in the vast outdoor, and others in constrict places, the movie is always well-framed, and with compelling camera angles. Also, each one of the segments is unique-looking, with its own colors and style.

Everyone in the movie has solid acting. Ricardo Darín is one of the most recognizable actors from Argentina, and in Wild Tales he’s perfect. Besides Darín, I would like to highlight Erica Rivas as Romina, the cheated bride of the last segment.

Wild Tales is fun and funny, technically perfect, and also good looking. The acting was near perfect, and there were only a few things I didn’t like in the plot of the last two stories. 8 Moons.