Film Review: Post Tenebras Lux (18) (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany 2012) (Director: Carlos Reygadas) (Spanish, English & French with English Subtitles) Friday 22.03.2013 20:45 The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Three, Edinburgh 

I was curious about this film due to my conflicted response to one of the directors previous films: 'Battle In Heaven' (2005).

The film centres around a well-off white Mexican family and how they, and in particular the father of the family, interact with their community, blood relatives and the day-to-day family. The film is a portrayal of the masculine patriarch's need to compete, dominate and have a sense of superiority. The portrayal of this is at times quite subtle. It shows how this approach to life can lead to conflict and general unhappiness. There is then an accident and the patriarch is forced into a position where he has to cooperate, is able to be aware of and grateful for what he has got and for the first time in the film expresses joy. The film also goes broader in scope to say that this destructive masculine way of being is nurtured by the way boys are brought up. The film's story and what it is trying to convey is told in what appears initially to be disconnected snatches of the family's life over an indefinite period of time.

The film is in 'Academy' ratio and is beautifully shot. There is no fault I can see with the performances. The film uses minimal dialogue and there are lengthy periods where the focus is on the lush landscapes and it's sounds. I suspect some would find the film impenetrable. There are also awkward moments such as the couple's holiday trip to a 'sauna' where the husband unveils his wife for the enjoyment of others. There then comes a bizarre moment where his wife's head is in the lap of an older French buxom lady, while the wife is being sexually satisfied by another and the buxom one is repeatedly telling her how beautiful she is and that she should allow her self to experience pleasure. I felt awkward, which is going some.

I found the way the film was conveying what was being expressed to be refreshing. I think I found the way it was portraying the competitive male to be more captivating than the actual film. The film appears to keep a distance from the characters being portrayed and if felt hard to care for the central characters. There was both satisfaction and dissatisfaction. It feels hard to recommend this to others.   

Rating: 6/10.