PVC-1

A woman in a rural Mexican home gets a bomb locked to her neck, along with a demand of several million pesos to remove it. Sounds like an upper, I know. Perfect for the first film of SIFF 08.

I came into this not knowing quite what to expect, so I wasn't prepared for the energy it delivered. The film is done in one sustained shot; nothing new, since Hitchcock did it (well, faked it anyway) in Rope. And doing a film in real-time is nothing new either. But none of those capture the raw energy that really makes PVC-1 work. The down spots are longer than you'd expect, but it doesn't get boring because you're dreading the next development the whole time.

The acting is passable, but a bit overdone in several places. Bit parts are filled by actors desperately trying to pass in roles they're simply not suited for. And the dialogue is pretty stilted, even in the original language. Much wailing "dios mio" and wringing of hands. But these are spaced out between enough wordless action and raw energy that it doesn't distract too much.

I enjoyed the camerawork a lot. Very close and immediate, which added to the energy and the suspense. Surprisingly steady, too, so people who loathe handcams shouldn't be bothered too much.

Overall this was definitely worth seeing, and maybe worth seeing twice. The raw documentary feel gives a great energy, and the overall direction and pacing make up for any shortcomings in the script and acting.