TACFEST III Review: In GATILLERO, A Non-Stop Thrillride On The Streets Of Argentina
Gatillero screened for the third edition of TACFEST last month and will open in Argentinian cinemas on June 12.
Whole films done in a single-take films have been around for decades – a method that’s certainly proliferated in contemporary film in recent history. Examples like Birdman, 1917 and even Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes are good examples to make note of, while action fans may quickly remember James Nunn’s One Shot and its sequel from last year. Granted, of course, each film hits different depending on what your expectations are, although I can gladly assert that a film like Gatillero (or Gunman) certainly passes muster here.
Director Cristian Tapia Marchiori holds nearly nothing back in his direction, kicking off a high energy crime thriller chronicling one man’s frenzied night time chase throughout the streets of a teetering neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Galgo (Sergio Podeley) is a gangland hitman fresh out of jail, out of work, and in desperate need of cold hard cash. He’s approached by former cohorts Lalo (Matías Desiderio) and Noni (Mariano Torre) with an opportunity to make a quick buck which he accepts without much thought or question, and soon enough, a harmless drive-by escalates into a would-be hitjob that goes immediately haywire.
The scene is the first inflection point in Gatillero, mounting a series of events that highlight Galgo’s singular night of upheaval and danger as he’s framed for the murder of his former employer, a notorious crime boss known only as The Godmother (Julíeta Diaz). With his face plastered all over the local news outlets, Galgo has few places and friends to turn to for sanctuary and help. Little does he know that his supposed actions have imbued a willing handful of local residents like Nelson (Ramiro Blas) and his daughter Isa (Maite Lanata), who see The Godmother’s death as a chance opportunity to take their neighborhood back, with or without his help.
Gatillero serves an unyielding tale of survival that pulsates with nearly every step in Galgo’s restless night. Our protagonist’s singular cause evolves into a transformative struggle that adds weight and substance to the murky streets of Isla Maciel, layered with overcast night time skies, murky alleyways, murals, and wandering street cats, coupled with patrolling footsoldiers working on the menacing Lalo’s behalf.
Other players in the mix like fellow enforcer Noni and youngeters Pitu (Gonzalo Gravano) and Vir (Bianca Di Pasquale) add to the mare’s nest in Galgo’s tempestuous mapping of who he can trust-versus-who will likely shoot him on sight. Even more gripping in this aspect is Galgo’s own unnerving paranoia and penchant for escalating situations that could otherwise be resolved with cooler heads, lest the worst-case scenario he fears most occurs. When it does, Gatillero unfolds in the only way it could, raising a profile in redemption that effectively holds little back by the film’s climax.
A good deal of credit here apart from the crew and particularly the film’s stunt unit goes to leading man Podeley. His role stands as one of the heaviest and more demanding of its kind as the camera follows him for most of the way, as he runs for his life through copious leaps and bounds. His physicality further compliments the writing, giving audiences a character that evolves from an otherwise deplorable goon to a man with a conciousness that bookends with a split-second choice that makes Gatillero an exhilirating Argentinian thriller that deserves its ceremony.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!
