7 Boxes (2012) User Reviews

Quality film from Paraguay

[Red-Barracuda · 7/10 · 30 June 2013]

A teenager who works as a wheelbarrow delivery boy in a sprawling market in Asunción, Paraguay is given the task of transporting seven mysterious boxes for a big sum of money. He soon discovers the horror of what is in the boxes, while he is pursued by a murderous gang.

It's always very refreshing to see movies from countries with little cinematic output. And that's exactly the situation in the case of 7 Boxes which showcases the cinema of Paraguay. It shares the Latin American energy that so many other films from that part of the world have. But it also does feel specifically Paraguayan with convincing and realistic characters and a very authentic setting. It's a crime thriller but it does differentiate itself from many other films of that type where even the chief bad guy is at least a little sympathetic. He does what he does ultimately for his sick son. He ends up going down his path because he cannot afford the medicine. He, like the other characters, is motivated as a result of the socio-economic situation in which he cannot escape. The movie suggests the hardships and poverty of the lives of the characters can result in some harsh choices.

The acting from the entire cast is good all round. The two kids at the centre of the story hold things together very well, while there are some memorable characters in the periphery such as the bungling kidnappers. There is a good mix of suspense and comedy, while the direction is stylish when it needs to be, taking time to get to know the characters as well. The film ends with all of the strands of the story coming together in a satisfying finale. And when it ends you can't help hoping there will be more films from Paraguay.

Style and Substance - Twists and Turns

[MikeyB1793 · 8/10 · 13 August 2014]

With both substance and style. Plenty of style here. We are taken through the maze of a large market place in Paraguay. And the plot – revolving around the main character (who is well played by Celso Franco) – is also a maze with many twists and turns. We are kept guessing as to what will happen next. The characters are all well done – and so are their interactions.

It's a swell film to watch with a reasonably good resolution. I can just imagine what Hollywood would do with this – pouring in loads of explosions and over-the-top gunfights. Instead we get a minimal exposure of violence – and instead of massive noise we get character development.

Well crafted story and innovative direction. Logical and unpredictable.

[juanvenegas · 8/10 · 24 April 2013]

What I appreciated the most about this movie was the outstandingly well crafted screenplay. As a foundation to the story, the socio-economical setting is very clearly established from the very beginning as well as each character's background and motivations. With such solid dramatic pillars, the story unfolds organically. No character is good, bad or stereotyped, their actions are a consequence of their history, their situation and their motivations. In the best style of Greek tragedy, the story brings us to discover how characters are unexpectedly connected and how seemingly casual acts have strong and logic consequences.

The direction is very innovative and fresh in camera angles and editing that match well the techno-tropical music.

I would put it up in the same category and caliber with City of Good as a sample of the best of Latin-American cinema.

Look out for the box

[abcvision · 6/10 · 27 March 2013]

In 7 Boxes you are taken to the slums of Ausución, Paraguay where everyone is trying to survive. Suddenly Victor is given a break, he is a 17 year old wheelbarrow delivery boy who is given the task to deliver and take care of 7 boxes. What happens next a series of unexpected twists and turns. This movie takes you to the underground world, where the chaos bellow the calm surface is uncovered. It is in Spanish mixed in with several dialects and all with subtitles. The movies themes are loyalty, adventure and what exactly will you do when you life is on the line. I thought it was really crazy how this underworld carried out their own form of justice and the strongest always seems to survive. Saw this film as part of the Atlanta Film Festival.

A thrill ride!

[queenjustine · 9/10 · 28 January 2013]

I just saw this yesterday at the Santa Barbara Int'l Film Festival, after hearing about it earlier in the day from a Puerto Rican gentleman I met who said he heard it was good. It's kind of a Paraguayan "Pulp Fiction" with a little "Run Lola Run" thrown in. A teenage boy who works in a giant urban marketplace carting goods for people with a hand-truck gets unwittingly involved in some nefarious business when he agrees to transport seven mysterious boxes for a tempting sum of money. The young lead actor is good, and the rapport between him and his friend Liz rings with true universal teenage-ness. I understand the director has a background in music videos, which explains the snappy, fast-paced cinematography, which works to good effect. Chase scenes, suspense, and sweet moments of tenderness here and there keep the action moving along nicely. There is quite a bit of violence near the end, but none of it too bloody or gruesome. A very fun film!

Good Spanish crime thriller..!!

[kamalbeeee · 7/10 · 10 December 2020]

A boy had accepted to deliver 7 boxes to a desrination place...after realize what inside box then he shocks and try to escape from police... Must watchable movie..!!

STUNNING Performance, COMPELLING Story..GREAT MOVIE!!

[willcand · 10/10 · 21 April 2013]

Given the lack of the Paraguayan cinematographic production, I went to see this film with great skepticism at the 14th edition of the "Havana Film Festival" in New York City. The presenters had only compliments towards the movie, still my skepticism was there. Immediately after the movie started I could already feel the intensity and the high-speed dynamics of it. Putting it in few words, the acting was stunning to where the characters managed to take you right into the scene!...you just care for most of them in it, even a little for the bad guy and his sick son!! There were many very emotional and motivating moments and even thou things turn out in the most unexpected way, they show you all the interesting sides of humans...The director really achieved AN AMAZING, MOTIVATING, PASSIONATE AND VIBRATING WORK...CONGRATULATIONS!!

Fast & Furious Wheelbarrow Ride

[jomc-75429 · 7/10 · 28 May 2020]

Victor is a teenage boy who works as a wheelbarrow puller in a market of Paraguay, he is been so obsessed about buying a camera phone and also being a Television star. Once he gets a job to deliver 7 boxes with some unknown content for 100$ which is enough to buy a phone. But the deal is that, he will only get the money once he finish the job. Things get messy along the way and unknowingly he becomes a part of crime.

Its a full of chaos thriller with some unpredictable turns and good performance. Good choice for those who explore something different.

Thrilling, funny, entertaining film

[renedelagza0 · 8/10 · 23 April 2013]

I saw this movie in a festival in town a couple of weeks ago, and i wasn't sure of what i was going to see.

I was hooked on the screen from the first scenes and never let me down. The film is about a boy, Victor, who works in a market carrying merchandise in a dolly. He needs money but hasn't got any jobs yet, until he gets an offer to carry 7 boxes with unknown contents for a 100 dollar payment, and that gets him into complicated situations where his life could be in danger.

The characters are very real, and the situations, some are funny, some are thrilling, but is an exciting story as a whole. I loved the camera work and the acting of the cast.

A very entertaining film, and a nice surprise from Paraguay.

Poverty

[westsideschl · 8/10 · 12 July 2014]

This may be the first film I've seen from Paraguay although coincidentally it's neighbor, Argentina, has a highly regarded film industry that produces exception films. This film shows us, with it's imaginative narrative, a Paraguayan economy that is agricultural; marketplace driven; high income inequality where age (as in India for example) is no barrier to labor for survival. So what is the story? A young, high school age, man plies the market streets daily with his wheelbarrow asking shoppers & merchants if he can earn a few Guarani (the exchange numbers to US dollars will show you the inflationary pressures just to be able to afford a small meal) to haul their merchandise. His decision making shows a lack of formal education and his poverty shows a lack of resources e.g. even a cell phone. His only other exposure to technology is seeing a TV in a shop window where he imagines himself to be on the screen. Though a series of comedic and tragic missteps his dream is about to become reality. Acting, directing, cinematography, script, all on a low budget - well done!

Inconsistency

[Ko-Technik · 4/10 · 28 February 2015]

It's a potentially wonderful movie, that becomes quickly feeble and moronic through this "well put together" scenario. Those bloody contradictions, that any logical mind can not carry for 100 minutes, are so obvious and exasperating. Why would I look for a kid that I want to kill, but I won't, with 6 other people, pushing wheelbarrows? Here is another one, I am Gus, I gave the kid a phone to call him, but when my boss asks me to get back the boxes, I won't call him, why? why so much irrational acts? And it goes on and on, it takes all the beauty of immersion, you just sit there waiting for the end in this beautiful jungle/market where everyone is trying to get a chance of living. The acting is perfect, I loved the characters and the connections between them, the film would be a great one if those incoherences weren't there, dommage.

A south American Pulp Fiction

[ikeppl-1 · 8/10 · 31 August 2014]

A low-budget yet high quality movie. From the guts of the impenetrable south American rain forest we have this Pulp-Fictionish Paraguayan flick. Compelling, thrilling, breathtaking. Great acting while it unveils the social reality of people in the borderline of poverty striving to survive... and provide for their families. The veil of the action flick will soon fall showing the naked truth... for the keen eye. For those (like me) who had the chance to visit this country painted with different shades of black and white it will be a sort of revival into the street market with its color, musical "guarany" accent, smells and a sort of human flock growing around you. Scary sometimes but always, always, thrilling. A must-see.

The Muse Lives in South America

[aharmas · 10/10 · 9 February 2014]

I guess I should be grateful that we have the opportunity to gamble once in a while and not just at "best of" lists to catch a great film. If that was the case, I'd be subjected to the best campaign or best overrated generic masterpiece of lately. Truly, I cherish independent cinema distributors because they allow the opportunity to catch a gem like "7 Boxes" to stimulate our senses and restore the belief that there is actually magic in the movies.

The very dynamic and creative story never fails to capture or interests, grabbing from the very beginning as it establishes the mood, introduces the main characters, the exotic setting, and lights the fuse that will lead through a breathtaking and explosive ride and quite a fantastic ending.

Here is a world full of poverty, audacity, competition, and the desire to survive, regardless of the mean. People appear to be hungry because they're not afraid to gamble their very existence for a few dollars. We see the basic activity at the core of the film, an exchange of services. Be there and make a few bucks so you can buy a sandwich, a hot dog, or a very coveted cell phone. Victor, a young man is one of those people who offer to carry your "merchandise" with their makeshift wheelbarrows. By pure look he appears to get a chance make a delivery that will bag him a $100 dollars, a fortune in his world. Everyone, including him, understand there must be some shady in the nature of the merchandise. One just doesn't ask questions because it usually leads more complicated and dangerous situations.

As we expected, many people set their eyes on the "merchandise" and through a plot line that appears a bit complicated and a bit contrived at first, we get going, and this is where the film explodes with an originality sorely missing from American movies. This had origins on some very exciting planning, and every detail appears to be fleshed out, leaving nothing unattended. In the end, no matter how impossible the turn might seem, it makes complete sense.

The seven boxes soon find their way in and out of the boy's hands, and the "butchers" who asked for their delivery soon find themselves in a more dangerous situation because of a misunderstood conversation that invites other parties to become involved in the twisted search for the boxes. Soon, we have some shady characters, transvestites, some clueless policemen, a very interesting Korean Romeo, abused girlfriends, some feral street children, and well, the mysterious content of the boxes.

Everything about the film shines with originality, and it throws sparks at every turn. The editing and imaginative camera work shows us that there is still hope for those who have an eye to blend clever writing with dynamic camera-work, not relying too much on technique or special effects, or the overuse of colorful language. What is fresh here is how a simple metaphor referring to merchandise, or a certain food can take some shadings. At times, we fear its mention, and at others we can't stop laughing at the reference.

I found that setting the film in the slums, and in the middle of this market teaming with all kinds of transactions, dealing with food, items, or even human trade never appears to overtake the solid acting by all the performers. Unlike films that trying to much with their verbosity and reliance on a naked body, a flash of a cleavage, or a loud soundtrack that if any, detracts us from the action, "7 Boxes" looks inside the characters by showing us what they yearn, giving us real relationships and showing the warts in the characters. The young people have grown a thick skin because they live in their own version of hell, and we see the inside of kitchens, the division of classes as a young couple can't make payment for the medication that might save a child's life, and how normal a robbery appears where it's shown for what it really is, without calling too much attention to itself, telling us watch how fantastic my direction and my writing is. We never forget it is a movie, but it is so well directed and acted that it never loses that authentic touch.

Most important, we arrive to the conclusion with a full realization that every deed has a consequence, and that evil is contagious and affects even those who might appear to be innocent. We learn that information is valuable, and that no encounter is to be considered meaningless. A look is really worth a thousand words, and necessity is truly the mother of invention and creativity, both in the movie and the way a movie is made. It appears that working with limited resources and not having the most recognizable faces in the world might actually produce better results.

A few years ago a little film called "Slumdog Millionaire" gave us hope the silver screen muse was alive and kicking. As of late, it appears the muse lives mostly in foreign films. Hopefully, it will be make a return to American films so we can enjoy a true golden era again. Bleaching the color out of a film, padding the conversations with unnecessary convolution doesn't make the movies better, and Shakespeare himself wrote for the masses, and I am sure he knew how the four letter words of his time, but somehow, we fail to find them in his plays, making it obvious that they are not essential to the success of the piece. I'd rather have a pinch of salt than dumping a whole bucket and spoil the effect.

terrific kinetic ride with some dark humor

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 17 January 2015]

Victor is a poor kid who moves boxes on his cart in the market. He needs money to get a cell phone with a camera. He gets a job to transport 7 boxes. It's very sketchy. He gets a half of a torn US $100 bill. He's told to guard it with his life until he gets a call. Another porter is after the boxes. With his wacky friend Liz's help, he tries to stay one step ahead of everybody.

The desperation for money is palpable and I love that he needs the money for a cell phone. It's not something that comes to my mind right away. However it's so obvious if the kid doesn't have one. It makes the movie even more compelling. The movie is great technically. There is real kinetic energy in the camera work. The story is solid and full of thrills. There is also a bit of gallows humor. It's a terrific indie.

I could not take this film seriously.

[Bone3011 · 5/10 · 20 February 2021]

I could not take this film seriously. It's something between a comedy and a thriller but I could not believe any of the characters.

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

[postsenthil · 9/10 · 27 October 2019]

Paraguay is a landlocked country in the middle of South America sandwiched between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. Due to its central location, it is often referred to as the heart of South America. To the outside world at large, Paraguay is known more for its football than films. Nevertheless, this cracking thriller from Paraguay is set in a bustling market complex in the capital city of Asuncion and unfolds in a span of 48 hours. Our protagonist Victor (Celso Franco) is a 17-year old who makes a living by transporting the loads of his customers on a rickety wheelbarrow across the market which sprawls over eight blocks. While he could hardly make do with paltry earnings, he is fascinated by cell phones (movie is set in 2005 when they were still a novelty) and TV screens attract his attention, even in the middle of a fervent chase.

One day, the wily butcher Dario, who is expecting a police raid at his premises, offers Victor a deal wherein Victor is required to carry 7 wooden boxes of unknown content around the market for a day and deliver them at a specified location the next day to earn a fat paycheck of $100. Victor gets the deal because Nelson, another wheelbarrow pusher, who is Dario's regular transporter, turns up late as he had to take care of his sick child. Nelson desperately needs the money to pay for the medicine for his kid's treatment. He is frustrated when learns that Dario has given the goods to Victor. Nelson plans to steal the boxes from Victor in order to make the delivery at the specified place to collect the promised $100. Thus, begins a cat and mouse game between Victor and Nelson who enlists the support of several associates in the market to track down Victor and his consignment. There are also a set of cops lurking in the market who are on the lookout for some suspicious activities. Victor is joined by his pushy girl friend Liz who tags along with him in his adventure as he tries to evade his pursuers and safeguard the cargo. In the unfolding tense drama, Victor, Liz, Nelson and his associates become unwitting associates in a high stakes crime involving ruthless gangsters and corrupt cops.

As Victor tries to flee one hurdle after another, Richard Careaga's with his kinetic camera captures the chase with a frenetic pace that adds to the tension. Director duo Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schémbori use the maze like marketplace buzzing with activity to maximum effect to infuse the movie with crackling energy. This chase movie is an entertaining thriller that would hook the viewers early and keep them engrossed till the very end.

Amazing!

[Drimnog · 9/10 · 30 August 2020]

I started watching without any pretense and I was quite surprised. There are some plot in the plot that show how technology and society can change a person's life. Despite showing the cell phone and the TV at the beginning of global accessibility, it can be transported to the present day: how far are you able to go to have access or participate in the mainstream media / internet?

Fresh and real, especially viewing from New York

[secondtake · 8/10 · 13 April 2021]

7 Cajas (7 Boxes ) 2012

An amazing film. It isn't just that you get a young person's glimpse into lower class Paraguay, and the markets and hustling going on. Or a charming (and sometimes overly simple) story of cops and robbers, ambition and innocence.

The movie is also brilliantly filmed.

The language is nominally Spanish, but my South American wife had trouble following some of it-not for the accent, it seems, but for a vocabulary that is... And for every improbable turn or slightly awkward motivation we have a slew of tender, sharp, and creative bits.