An unremarkable photographer in an Italian town has an uncanny meeting with an old man. He suddenly finds himself the owner of a strange power, to wit the power to kill with some kind of "death ray" device. Could or should he use this fearsome power ? And who should die ? It's not as if the town were lacking in opportunists, egotists, thieves and frauds...
I liked the acting, which was good ; I also liked the evocation of daily life in a small town, complete with religious processions, political squabbles, secret power deals, real-estate ambitions and so on. (The scenery, by the way, is superb, as is the slice-of-life view of Catholic worship and culture.) I also liked the idea, which was both original and intriguing. What would happen if a random Everyman were given the power over life and death ? Would the man be able to control himself - and all of the time ? Would frequent hearses fill the streets ? Would the president of France drop dead on his meringue pie ? Would the local tax office turn into a giant mausoleum ?
Still, I got the impression that the movie itself did not dare to explore the full potential of this idea, probably out of fear of becoming too dark and depressing. As a result I found the whole too reticent to become fully convincing or successful.
Beware : do not try to build a drinking game around the many times one of the characters says "san'Andrea". You'd end up blind drunk...
I liked the acting, which was good ; I also liked the evocation of daily life in a small town, complete with religious processions, political squabbles, secret power deals, real-estate ambitions and so on. (The scenery, by the way, is superb, as is the slice-of-life view of Catholic worship and culture.) I also liked the idea, which was both original and intriguing. What would happen if a random Everyman were given the power over life and death ? Would the man be able to control himself - and all of the time ? Would frequent hearses fill the streets ? Would the president of France drop dead on his meringue pie ? Would the local tax office turn into a giant mausoleum ?
Still, I got the impression that the movie itself did not dare to explore the full potential of this idea, probably out of fear of becoming too dark and depressing. As a result I found the whole too reticent to become fully convincing or successful.
Beware : do not try to build a drinking game around the many times one of the characters says "san'Andrea". You'd end up blind drunk...