Ilegal (2003) Reviews

• Thriller-denounce about the illegal immigration in Spain , being set in Morrocco and Galicia

  ma-cortes2014-04-21

  This is a moving portrait of illegal immigration from Africa, Tanger , to Europa through the investigation of two journalists named Luis (Chisco Amado) and Duran (Chete Lera) and about the possession some important video tapes . As the events go awry when the tapes are wished by Police officers , a private eye (Lucia Jimenez) , other reporters and a drug lady . It leads to killings , pursuits and a twisted intrigue . Thriller/drama with emotion , twists , thrills , chases , suspense , a love story and racist elements ; including enjoyable performances , though roles were not very well developed . The picture concerns about Mafias that abuse on African people , taking place issues about human traffic , xenophobia and racism in which white roles predominate and African characters provide background . It deals with deceived emigrants who arrive in Spain aboard ¨Pateras¨ and rotten ships or as stowaways ; they are without the proper papers and without a penny to their name . African immigrants sometimes find bad-paid , part-time work ; it is the kind of work that only illegal immigrants can get . This can be the story of many faceless and nameless immigrants in any country that live in ¨Pisos Patera¨ and face uphill challenges all the way through their illegal immigration . This brooding as well as thrilling flick can be defined as a thought-provoking thriller , an exciting fresco with action , emotion , racism and a social fable ; however , I found him to be just too predictable and not driven . Because the story needs a vibration more real than the one offered in this sometimes predictable flick , though also contains enjoyable and interesting moments . As the picture is more a thriller than a denounce-film . Anyway, its is compensated with the great performances from Chete Lera , Lucia Jimenez and Vicenta N'Dongo , interpreters who provided a considerable boost to the result . Other films concerning illegal immigration result to be quite better , such as Bwana (1996) by Imanol Uribe with Andres Pajares , Maria Barranco and ¨Cartas a Alou¨ (1990) by Montxo Armendariz with Mulie Jarju and Eulàlia Ramon . The flick displays an atmospheric as well as thrilling score by early deceased Manuel Balboa, in his last one , who composed several films for Jose Luis Garci , such as ¨El Abuelo¨ , ¨Canción Cuna¨ and ¨Herida Luminosa¨ . Colorful cinematography by Federico Ribes who photographs gorgeous exteriors from Santiago de Compostela and its splendorous cathedral . Ribes is a veteran professional working for twenty five years and photographing a lot of movies such as ¨Don Mendo Rock¨, ¨Fuera Juego¨, ¨Tanger¨, ¨Guerra de Locos¨, ¨Delirium¨ and many others . The motion picture was professional directed by Galician director Ignacio Vilar , an usual Shorts director , but failed at the Spanish box office . Rating : 6 , passable and acceptable .

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