05/09/2011

The Arrival of Wang [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the new film written, directed and produced by the Manetti brothers has all it needs to stir an audience's curiosity: Gaia (Francesca Cuttica), a Chinese interpreter, is summoned for a secret and urgent job. Met by a secret service agent (Ennio Fantastichini), she has to translate the interrogation of a mysterious Mr.Wang, whi is kept in complete darkness for security reasons. Overwhelmed by the situation and the tension in the room, Gaia says that she cannot do her job without the light on, but when she sees Mr. Wang, her life will change forever...

From a certain point of view, the Manetti brothers' new film is doubtless a success - with a very small budget, the two directors have made an engaging genre production that would usually require much larger and more diverse resources. However, the lack of financing is obvious throughout the film, and brings many limitations both to set direction and the story: all events take place in a very confined space, the special effects are sometimes disappointing, and the plot is ocassionally helped along with twists that seem somewhat artificial.

Nevertheless, smart dialogue, some really over-the-top lines and energetic interpretations convey enough emotion and laughs to engage the audience. It's easy to add a little to the apparently straightforward topic and “read” the extremely unusual interrogation as being a commentary on the general lack of trust in today's society. The Arrival of Wang has every chance to share the same fate as Nacho Vigalondo's Time Crimes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alejandro Miranda
interview: Nacho Vigalondo
film profile] for example, which is currently being remade in Hollywood. Or, perhaps, the directors may revisit the topic in another project with more funding because, as it is, The Arrival of Wang has only the promise of an excellent independent genre film.