Review of Cronos (1993) by Erica L — 10 Apr 2008

"Cronos" is the directorial debut from Guillermo del Toro, more famous for Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy.

In this, he revises the typical Vampire attributes and instead draws focus to a metal insect that grants eternal life to an old Spanish man. First things first, the cinematography in places is delightful, a scrolling shot through the device itself is murky and eeire. However, some scenes are just too dark, which dulls the action.

Another point is that the plot's backstory is more interesting than the actual film. The typical "live longer" plotline is stretched, lacking flow and coherence. Some situations also are too vague and the switching between Spanish and English is jarring.

However, patience is rewarded, with some brilliant scenes such as the one in the bathroom and the male toilet. These scenes are creepy and more horrific than the scenes with killing.

Del Toro's focus on the man's relationship with his granddaughter is where the film lights up, her silence creating more mood than anything else. Its this emotional core that drives the film, and raises it above normal horror, which is surprisingly, well-acted. The ending also is well resolved, and rational.

All in all, whilst not worth sacrifice, the interesting take on typical fare, and the emotional core make this a good film, but nothing compared to his later works, "Cronos" is worth a drop of your time.