Being a fan of "Dia de la Bestia" and "Accion Mutante" I couldn't wait to get my hands on this film but I was shocked to see that De LaIglesia actually kind of sold out and made a kinder gentler version of the awesome Gifford novella whose characters were inspired by the Matemoros kidnapping/murders. . The one bright spot of the film is definitely Javier Bardem. His acting skills make Antonio Banderas' look Segal-like. Bardem's delivery in english is just as good as in his native spanish and with his genuine silly Mexican rocker-style haircut he masterfully sets a chilling profile as the homicidal drug dealing Santera. Rosie Perez plays a great New York diva but is out of her league with this evil character(in the film Perdita isn't even really THAT evil). People who haven't read the novella (included as a prologue in the book "Sailor's Holiday" by the gifted Gifford) might understandably find the story shocking but it's really quite weak (except for maybe the Santeria corpse hacking ceremony scene). Forsaking most of the really dark elements and substituting a Hollywood formula plotline after the promising beginning, this movie left me mournful for what a great movie this could have been.
Review of Perdita Durango
