Fantasia 2010: MANDRILL Review

[Mack's review of Mandrill originally ran with the film's premiere at Fantastic Fest but with it screening on the opening night of Fantasia - we present it to you now.]

Mandrill marks the return of martial artist actor Marko Zaror and writer director Ernesto Díaz Espinoza to Fantastic Fest after winning the Audience Award back in 2007 for Mirageman. Zaror is Mandrill, a hitman for hire, he has modeled his life after his television hero, a smooth talking and deadly killer, but has been raised by his uncle who is more responsible for his smoothness and way with the ladies. Completing contracts with ruthless efficiency Mandrill is always on the lookout for the man who killed his parents when he was a child. When a contract comes up and it looks like this may finally be the man responsible for the death of his parents Mandrill discovers that the only way to get to him is through his daughter Dominic. Mandrill must go to Peru and find Dominic if he is to get his chance to exact revenge. But revenge is often a terrible cycle and Mandrill may not see this through to the end.

Heavy on style and smooth as silk Espinoza and Zaror create a colorful world of intrigue and sexiness that would make Bond blush. Zaror fully embodies this smooth and sexy contract killer who may have met his match with Dominic. Forever staying the course he tries and tries to use the secrets his uncle taught him to get through to her but he discovers that he must open up part of himself to her to keep her interested in him. And of course once he does he finds himself falling for her though in the back of his mind carrying out his revenge on her father troubles and eats at him.

It goes without question that Zaror is one of the best martial arts actors working today. What is terribly tragic is that outside of the genre circles he still remains an unknown. But with Mandrill not only does he get to demonstrate his incredible athleticism and skills but we also see him branch out further into his dramatic side, the kind of emotional dramatic side that you wouldn't get with any Bond incantation. The closer he gets to Dominic the more troubled his soul becomes. But enough of that silly emotional talk, I simply wanted to acknowledge that Zaror has brought sincere depth to his character. You want to know about the ass kicking. Well, there is plenty of it and it all comes by the hands and feet of Zaror and his stunt team.

Zaror and his team worked hard to bring us a varied and fast hitting action film. Mixing up grappling, striking and kicking there is nowhere where Mandrill can be beat, though I will say bravo to him and Espinoza for at least making most of the match-ups fairly even. Mandrill came along with an upgrade in filming technology, something that allowed Zaror and his team to show in more detail, with slow motion sequences in the fights, how much skill and technique was involved in each fight. So with all the hard hitting and punching there were points where the audience could see what was happening before Zaror's foot would meet the face of his opponent at that time. Despite that intention to show the audience more of what was involved in the fighting choreography I would have appreciated it more if Espinoza and his editor and cinematographer would have not cut the fights so much and pulled back just a touch more at times. But I am being a picky bitch. The fact remains, Zaror and his team kick all sorts of ass in this film and it borders criminally insane that Zaror isn't recognized more for the talent that his is.

I love the world that Espinoza created for Mandrill. Soaked and color and bright lights no opportunity is wasted to drench his sets and landscapes with color. He creates a world that transcends the Bond films of the 60s and 70s and grounds it to our present time. As I stated before I would have liked it more if he had pulled away a bit more from Zaror when filming the fight scenes but that is merely subjective to the viewer.

I also appreciate that he created a character like Mandrill who isn't emotionally cold and distant but has gone deeper than he ever has before now that he is so close to that man who is the reason for all his angst in the first place. Not intent on just making an action film his script takes sincere time to explore its troubled and deadly soul, the reasons Mandrill ticks and tocks, and rewards our patience with great action scenes.

Very entertaining from start to finish with a more fully fleshed out lead character than any of the film's influences ever explored, Mandrill comes at you with emotional fists and a troubled soul.