In Pedro Páramo, director Rodrigo Prieto, known for his fantastic cinematography in Martin Scorsese films and last year’s Barbie, makes his feature directorial debut with a visually stunning adaptation of Juan Rulfo’s ambitious novel. The film follows Juan Preciado (Tenoch Huerta) as he journeys to the spectral town of Comala to find his estranged father, Pedro Páramo (Manuel García-Rulfo). However, Juan’s quest leads him into a world where the boundary between the living and the dead blurs, and the legacy of Pedro Páramo’s tyranny overshadows everything.
Prieto mentioned that transitioning from cinematography to directing was not particularly challenging for him, thanks to his background in visual storytelling. This is evident in the film’s aesthetic appeal, which features moments reminiscent of a Scorsese epic. However, it’s clear that Prieto was more captivated by the visual aspects of the project than by its story or characters. His storytelling falls short, with a narrative that lacks coherence and fails to engage the audience. The themes of ambition, power, morality, and death are only superficially touched upon, lacking deeper exploration and there is a lack of emotional connection that would propel viewers to invest in the characters’ journeys, even if individual scenes, such as children flying kites, ghostly apparitions, and a character transforming into mud, are memorable.
Prieto mentioned that he needed to read the book several times to fully grasp its themes. His commitment to a faithful adaptation, while focused on creating stunning visuals, results in a film that remains confusing. As a result, viewers are unlikely to return for a second viewing to unravel its complexities.
Still courtesy of Netflix
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- Where to watch
Netflix- Where to watch
- Netflix
Play trailer
- Original title
- Pedro Páramo
- Director
- Rodrigo Prieto
- Cast
- Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Dolores Heredia, Ilse Salas, Hector Kotsifakis, Mayra Batalla, Roberto Sosa, Giovanna Zacarías
- Rated
- R
- Screenwriter
- Mateo Gil
- Composer
- Gustavo Santaolalla
- Cinematography
- Rodrigo Prieto, Nico Aguilar
- Editor
- Soledad Salfate
- Country
- Language
- Spanish
- Distributor (CA)
- Netflix