Customer Reviews

Hierro [DVD] (2009)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every parents worst nightmare would be to go on holiday with their child, only to lose sight of them for a few vital moments and to find that their child has vanished. That is what happens to single mother Maria, travelling to the island of Hierro by ferry with her young son Diego, she goes to sleep and when she wakes up Diego has gone.
Despite a frantic on board search, followed by a more reasoned police search covering the island and the surrounding seas, Diego is not found dead or alive. Months later, and a body is found matching the description of Diego. Maria returns to Hierro to identify the body, but it is of another child. Maria then begins to carry out her own investigations on the secretive island, convinced that Diego is still alive and has been abducted...
Hierro has such a stately, and at times surreal atmosphere that it might well put viewers off who are in search of more instant gratification. I would advise to stick with it to the end, as 'Hierro' does deliver a payoff, albeit a very sombre and heartbreaking one.
I think part of the problem, is that 'Hierro' is being marketed as a horror-thriller. This is probably to entice fans of more bona fide Spanish horror such as Rec and The Nameless. It could be argued that 'Hierro' does contain elements of a ghost story, but it is more a meditation on grief and coping with a terrible loss. That doesn't make the film redundant, I'm just questioning the marketing ploy of the distributors.
I found it quite a beautiful film to look at, stunning cinematography, and there is an excellent performance from Elena Anaya as the haunted Maria. Why I could only award it four stars in the end, is that the end product doesn't quite deliver all that it promises earlier on. Please don't laugh, but this film reminded me slightly of British curio 'Neither The Sea Nor The Sand'.
I wouldn't recommend whipping this film out at a jam packed film fest, this is more one to enjoy alone or in the company of an understanding loved one. A decent psychological thriller anyway. 4 out of 5.

The story of a mother looking for her lost son on a remote and freaky island will always create some tension and suspense, and make you stick to the end. But the truth is that after the boy dissapears, very little happens in this movie. And the ending is somewhat irrational. The premise is similar to that in "The orphanage", but better done in the latter.
If you want to see great movies by the same producers, go for "Pans labyrinth" (5 stars) or "The orphanage" (4 stars).

Good film, but too similar to the Orphanage by the same producers. Acting and scenery top rated, but the feeling of seeing it before didn't leave.

Hauntingly atmospheric, beautifully shot and acted. The plot is cleverly constructed, the visuals stunning, the suspense relentless. The twist at the end manages to be at once surprising and heart-breaking.

Its a good film! horrendously depressing, but this is intentional and just shows the skill that went into all aspects of this film. Its better than the orphanage, don't believe the other review!!!
I like this film, its really good. maybe you will like it too!

I was drawn to this from the writing on the cover, "From the producers of 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'The Orphanage'", two of my all-time favourite films. It is usually the case that with expectations so high, disappointment often follows, as it did here. The story unfolds with horror stylings (portentious score, brooding, atmospheric visuals), which, perhaps deliberately, leads one down the wrong path - are the makers trying to make us feel as disorientated as the heroine? - however, this could better be described as a thriller of sorts, though I'd prefer to call it a 'mystery'. Without the 'Labyrinth' and 'Orphanage' link, I would have enjoyed this a lot more, but it pails considerably against these two modern masterpieces. So a disappointment of sorts; the very simple story was somewhat overwrought and overcomplicated, but a film that was always watchable, with a great score, and stunning visuals.

I usually relate the genre art-house with the words quaint and petite; within that they are adorable and fashionable. This film has all the detail and beauty of an art-house film with a jaded twist of suspenseful story. The cinematography is really adhering to the qualities of art in picture and some of the shots would be stunning as pictures themselves.

I cannot get over-hyped about the film as there is nothing that really makes you want to stay with the story. The subtle hints in the film try and make the story more complicated than it actually is, so it leaves it somewhat slow passed.

To me - as art, the film is masterful, and as a story and a film, it just needs a bit more grapple to make it more sincere and meaningful. To say this is Gabe Ibáñez first feature film, it is very impressive.

The only question is - on her return, who is she looking for?