Prime Time (2008) User Reviews

Idea

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 8 November 2009]

It's a really good idea, but it's not new and it isn't really executed well. Even the small budgeted "Live" with Eva Mendes is a better watch (and that one was flawed too). While Spanish movies/thrillers are often really well thought of and made really good (even with a small budget), this one seems to be the exception of the rule.

Nice ideas, but characters that are forgettable, a twist that is insane and more holes in the plot, then you could and would like to handle. A shame really, because the theme of "Reality" TV really has so much more to explore, but there hasn't been a definitive movie made out of it yet (at least none I have seen at this point).

television visual thinking

[RResende · 25 February 2009]

This is a curious case, in which the fact that film is formally and visually coherent with what it shows makes it a total disaster.

The film is wrapped around a television idea of reality show, which really is real for its contestants. The idea of a show whiches mixes with reality, to the point in which no one in it knows where reality and show begin or end. Above the basic show we see, there is a supposedly moral superiority of using television to make 'justice', since every contestant (but one) is hiding bad secrets. Above that level we find out someone (a woman) is controlling the big game, and bending the thing to her own personal game.

It's a mildly interesting idea, but the whole thing is a disaster. On the story line level, not many things make sense or are interesting enough for us to care. Why the vengeance? So much trouble just because of bad work relations? Why should we care about any of these characters? they are cardboard cartoons, none of them is a real person, even their crimes are clichés.

On the visual side it gets worse. This has the look (and the appeal) of a TV show, cheap, quickly made and uninteresting. That's where i started this commentary: being faithful to the television poor minds was the idea here, yet it ruins anything interesting this might have.

The space was mildly interesting, how provisional divisions come and go.

My opinion: 1/5

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(FantasPorto 2009)