Crónicas (2004)

Director:

Sebastián Cordero

Writer:

Sebastián Cordero (writer)

Release Date:

6 October 2005 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

If It's On TV, It Must Be The Truth.

Plot:

A suspense thriller about a reporter from Miami who travels to Ecuador in pursuit of a serial killer known as the "Monster of Babahoyo."

Plot Keywords:

Investigation | Person On Fire | Serial Killer | Journalist | Psychopath

Awards:

8 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Damián Alcázar	...	Vinicio Cepeda
Walter Layana	...	Vendedor 'Extras'
Henry Layana	...	Don Lucho
Tamara Navas	...	Doña Etelvina
Washington Garzón	...	Joseph Juan
Rosa Alina Ortiz	...	Amiga Don Lucho
José María Yazpik	...	Iván Suárez
Raymundo Zambrano	...	Cura
John Leguizamo	...	Manolo Bonilla
Leonor Watling	...	Marisa Iturralde
Alfredo Martínez	...	Amigo Don Lucho
Camilo Luzuriaga	...	Capitán Bolivar Rojas
Peki Andino	...	Sargento Saltos (as Peky Andino)
Pablo Maldonado	...	Hombre Enfurecido 1
Luiggi Pulla	...	Robert

Also Known As:

Chronicles (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, a scene of sexuality, and language.

Runtime:

108 min | Japan:98 min

Country:

Mexico | Ecuador

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Japan:R-18 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ecuador

Company:

Cabezahueca

Trivia:

This was Colombian actor John Leguizamo's first film in Spanish. As all of his projects have been in English, he felt awkward talking in Spanish while acting. He felt he didn't know the language.

The Drive for Media Infamy

Crónicas is a terse, highly atmospheric movie that begins with a terrific idea but then doesn't seem to now where to go with it. The director Sebastián Cordero himself admits that the ending was nebulous until one of the actors (Leonor Watling) suggested a way to make the film work. The notes for the alternative ending demonstrate how flimsy this screenplay was, even into the final edit. So it is a film that begins well then loses its way in the mud of Ecuador.

Manolo Bonilla (John Leguizamo), a upwardly mobile TV journalist seeking stardom, has traveled to Ecuador with his assistant Marisa Iturralde (Leonor Watling) and cameraman Ivan Suarez (José María Yazpik) to cover the story of the 'Monster of Babahoyo', a serial rapist and murderer of small children. As they are filming a strange man Vinicio Cepeda (Damián Alcázar) has wandered into town and during the paparazzi effect of Bonilla's crew filming the mass funeral of the latest victims of the 'Monster'. Vinicio inadvertently runs over the twin of one of the victims resulting in an outrage by the father of the twins and a beating of Vinicio. Both are jailed and Manolo learns from the incarcerated Vinicio that he has secrets about the Monster. Seeing the chance for a 'Big Story' that will assure his stardom Manolo pursues the fragments of evidence about the Monster until little by little he 'uncovers' the truth. And the truth is terrifying.

Along the bumpy script road there is a love affair between Marisa (Ivan's girl!) and Manolo, communications with the Miami TV show Victor Hugo Puente (Albert Molina, whom we only see on a TV screen), and distractions from the townspeople and police. At times the storyline feels so jumbled that it is difficult to keep characters and motivations straight. But in the end this is a rather powerful indictment about the TV/media aggressive insertion into global reporting and the questionable ethics involved. The cast is strong, making the best of a mediocre script. The camera work seems to enjoy the endless preoccupation with poverty and inclement weather and the bleak atmosphere becomes wearing. This is a film with a good idea that just becomes a bit crippled in production. Grady Harp