Review of The Wages of Fear (1953) by Coprogeneracion — 19 Mar 2010
The Wages of Fear is the kind of film that seems to be one of a kind. I don't know if I have seen a film that is quite like it. The film took me to a place that I had never been before and a world that I have never seen.
The film is so uniquely its own entity. While watching it my jaw was on the floor most of the time because it just blatantly features some of the most stunning suspense sequences I have ever seen. There are more breathless moments in this film then I could count.
In a lot of ways this is like the grand daddy of the Hurt Locker. Beside the utterly stunning action the film is also very savvy in creating interesting characters. The film moves slow in the beginning as it introduces all of the assorted characters but it pays off in the rest of the film.
By getting to know these characters the danger they are in later in the film seems so much more intense. To see how these characters shift and change under imminent danger is also very interesting, and shows something about human nature.
I didn't even mention how remarkable the images are in this film. It's incredible to think how they shot a lot of the film. Clouzot is a master director and he has crafted a real gem here. Clouzot is able to develop interesting characters, construct genuine scenes of suspense that are nearly unrivaled, and can also make a statement on human nature.
This is such a vivid and compelling film. Now that I've seen it, I will never forget it.
This review of The Wages of Fear (1953) was written by Coprogeneracion on 19 Mar 2010.
The Wages of Fear has generally received very positive reviews.
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