(2015, 94 min)
Country: Mexico
Director: Chucho E. Quintero
Studio: TLA Releasing
Language: Spanish w/subtitles
SYNOPSIS: On the eve of an imminent apocalypse, two buddies - one gay, one "undecided" – wander the streets. Deep in conversation, Alex and Diego bond while sharing their fears and desires about sex and intimacy. Once they make their way to Alex’s bedroom, the true nature of their relationship is made clear. The strength of their unbreakable friendship helps them test the limits of trust and loyalty while pushing one another into exciting new realms of sexual exploration. A smart, heartfelt mix of drama, science fiction and romance, Velociraptor is a brilliant evocation of what it means to be young man, exploring male friendship and desire in an entirely fresh way.
REVIEW:
Velociraptor, a moody, evocative new film from 25-year-old Mexican filmmaker, Chucho E. Quintero, is reminiscent of Before Sunrise, with a gay, apocalyptic twist.
Álex (Pablo Mezz) is a sexually active young gay guy who would like to have sex with his straight best friend, Diego (Carlos Henrick Huber) just once before the world ends. And since that finality is fast approaching, he's anxious to get on with it. Diego is devoted to his girlfriend but spends most of the film teasing Álex by flashing him a glimpse of his butt and even kissing him.
Will they hook up? Are they meant to be together?
Oh, and, why and how is the world ending?
There are two very different themes being explored in this strangely compelling film, but writer/director Quintero interweaves them in a rather seamless manner.
Álex and Diego walk around the doomy, gloomy streets discussing their love and sex lives, as well as that imminent calamity that's about to befall everyone (including bringing up the Steve Carell, Keira Knightley movie, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World). Ominous announcements can be heard about "honoring ancestors," "endless days" and how people behave in the "end times." Meanwhile, Álex's main concern is his passion for Diego, and possibly, vice-versa. (The fact that Diego chooses to spend what could be his last few hours with Álex speaks volumes).
Quintero's haunting narrative takes odd, flashback turns that are sometimes dialogue-free, but each new moment adds nuance to these two young men trying to discover who they are before its too late. One such sequence boasts a montage of guys that Álex has hooked up with, but never quite gone all the way with.
Both leads, making their feature film debut, do an admirable job of balancing sexual tension with a paradoxical attitude towards their seemingly ill-fated future.
The film attempts to explore the fluidity of sexual desire but, in the end (pun intended), lands in a very predictable (ergo: Unsatisfying) place, and perhaps that's part of Quintero's point. The apocalypse might be at hand, but some people still refuse to explore life outside their limited world.
Velociraptor is in Spanish with English subtitles and the title comes from a favorite comic book both characters read.
-- Reviewed by Frank J. Avella, EdgeMediaNetwork (www.edgemedianetwork.com)
