Wild Tales - B

Rated R, 115 minutes
Wes's Grade: B
In Spanish with English subtitles

Revenge is the order of the day in the enjoyable, over-the-top anthology drama "Wild Tales"

If you enjoy bloody revenge, then the wildly over-the-top and entertaining new Spanish-Argentine drama "Wild Tales" might be for you. The enjoyable Pedro Almodovar-produced anthology film, Oscar-nominated for Best Foreign film at this year's Oscars, certainly lives up to its title: it's certainly a wild and crazy time, most of which you would only see on film and not in real life. "Wild Tales" has to do with the inequality, injustice and the demands of the world in that cause us stress and depression. Some of them, however, explode. Vulnerable in the face of a reality that shifts and suddenly turns unpredictable, the characters cross the thin line that divides civilization and barbarism. The six tales told here are: "Pasternak," about an interesting plane ride; "The Rats," about an interesting dinner at a small restaurant; "The strongest," about two drivers with road rage; "Little bomb," about an angry owner of a towed vehicle; "The proposal," about an accident that goes awry; and "Until death do us part," about two newlyweds at their wedding party. Directed and written by Spanish-Argentine TV and film director Damian Szifron and co-produced by legendary, acclaimed Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar, "Wild Tales" is a memorable, truly wild experience you won't soon forget. All of the stories are standalone, with the theme of violence and revenge tying them together, much of it highly improbable, but still entertaining, though there are few sympathetic characters to be found here. Of the six episodes, the best is "Little bomb" and it's also the most realistic and restrained, with Argentine actor Ricardo Darin delivering an affecting turn as the put-upon dad trying to make his way, while "The proposal" is the most gripping, with a powerful performance from Argentine actor Oscar Martinez as the young man's father. The others are good, but also very, very over-the-top, with the road rage drama "The strongest" strangely enough the weakest, with some downright silly contrivances and character choices; "The rats" is the bloodiest, "Pasternak" the shortest and the final story, the wedding-themed "Until death do us part," by far the silliest. As wild as they all may be, if you've ever been treated unfairly, you can empathize with an aspect of each of the stories, and on that note "Wild Tales" may be crazy, but also thought-provoking and powerful. Put this one on your list to see.