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Review #324 of 365
Movie Review of Turistas (2006) [R] 92 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $7.25
Where Viewed: UA Thornton Town Center 10, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 1 December 2006
Time: 12:20 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Directed by: John Stockwell (Into the Blue)
Written by: Michael Ross
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Josh Duhamel ("Las Vegas") • Melissa George (Derailed) • Olivia Wilde ("The O.C.") • Desmond Askew (The Hills Have Eyes [2006]) • Beau Garrett ("Entourage") • Max Brown ("Crossroads") • Agles Steib ("Senhora do Destino") • Miguel Lunardi (Benjamim)
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
In a year when many directors have put together some completely awful GBMR (grisly, bloody, murderous rampage) horror films like Hostel, The Hills Have Eyes, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Turistas seemed to be advertised as being a cross between them. A group of co-eds take a vacation in Brazil and end up in an isolated jungle refuge with a psychopathic killer. Fans of GBMR films rejoice until Hostel 2 or The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007) come out. Uh uh. This film is not for you. It really is not a GBMR film. First of all, the psychopath, Zamora (Miguel Lunardi), is not a total psychopath. He doesn't do his deeds because he's a total madman or the victim of nuclear fallout material. No, he's got the moral high ground on his side; or, at least, thinks he does. Meanwhile, while there are some 'mildly' grisly scenes such as a Swedish tourist meeting his demise at the hand of an angry guy wielding a machete and an open torso surgery on a girl with very little anesthetic, most of the film really does use good, old-fashioned, psychological settings to terrorize. For example, the group including: Alex (Josh Duhamel), Pru (Melissa George), Bea (Olivia Wilde), Finn (Desmond Askew), Amy (Beau Garrett), and Liam (Max Brown) are invited to party like there's no tomorrow at a lush beach bar after having a run in with locals while waiting for the bus.
"… a decent film that takes the high ground more often than the low ground."
While at the party, they are drugged into unconsciousness. They awake with all of their possessions stolen: passports, money, credit cards, backpacks, clothes, and even their shoes. With no way to pay for passage anywhere, pay for phone calls, etc. they seek refuge and help in the nearby town—a town without police and harboring a dark secret. They all share in the wealth of the robberies in exchange for silence as to Zamora's operations. As the plan unfolds, Zamora's supposed nephew, Kiko (Agles Steib), who invited the kids to the party in the first place, mentions his supposed Uncle has a remote home in the jungle where they will be safe for two days while they await the bus out of the area. A ten-hour hike through the deep jungle brings them to Kiko's favorite oasis, a beautiful waterfall with under ground caves. He challenges the group to join him in a swim and exploration of the caves from which will be certain they won't escape. But they do, unfortunately, a bold cliff dive by Kiko ends the festivities as he conks his head on a rock forcing the group to find the house along the river without him. They carry his bleeding body to the house and 'move in'. They find food, clothing, and tons of medical supplies. Alex is very suspicious as the elder of the group and brother of Bea. He finds a drawer full of foreign passports—a detail he does not share with the others. Meanwhile, they work to clean up Kiko's wound in anticipation of his Uncle's arrival. After a nice evening meal of canned foods they discover, they are awakened in the night by the arrival of a helicopter. Within minutes they are all captured, put in dog cages, and two are prepped for immediate surgery.
"…not as grisly or illogical as most of the other films of the genre."
Well, I won't spoil the plot any further, I'll simply repeat the film is not as grisly or illogical as most of the other films of the genre. It has a few social messages to make about the Ugly Euro-American Tourists and 1st world countries abusing 3rd world countries. Zamora has resolved to his actions and believes his is on solid moral footing. The Michael Ross script is a bit more interesting than one might expect for this type of film and the acting is solid. John Stockwell does a fine job of keeping the tension high and the twists of fate coming. Nonetheless, the end result is a decent film that takes the high ground more often than the low ground. Ironically, this may be its downfall because the people who are most likely to go see it will have their expectations far from fulfilled, and most of the people who might find this diversionary entertainment away from the heavy Academy Award®-contenders most likely won't go having made the assumption that this is just another Hostel.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Turistas (2006)
Cast Members
Josh Duhamel
• Melissa George• Olivia WildeDesmond Askew
• Beau Garrett• Max BrownAgles Steib
• Miguel LunardiDirector
John Stockwell
| DVD | VHS |
Turistas (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
In a year when many studios have released awful GBMR (grisly, bloody, murderous rampage) horror films like Hostel, The Hills Have Eyes, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Turistas seemed to be advertised as a hybrid. A group of co-eds take a vacation in Brazil and end up in an isolated jungle refuge with a psychopathic killer. Instead, Zamora (Miguel Lunardi), is not a total psychopath. He does his deeds believing he's doing the right thing. The film has a few, meaningful, social messages to make about the Ugly Euro-American Tourists and 1st world countries abusing 3rd world countries. The Michael Ross script is more interesting than one might expect and the acting is solid. John Stockwell does a fine job of keeping the tension high and the twists of fate coming. Nonetheless, the end result is a decent film takeing the high ground more often than the low.
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