The Red Squirrel (1993)

Sadly Over-hyped

Great Film overall

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

A deep love of "Vertigo" motivates director Julio Medem to jump into an almost empty swimming pool. Problem is 'V" was a second rate film to fall in love with to begin with. (Question: Did the producers have to pay royalties to the estate of Bernard Herrmann for the almost literal use of some of his music?) So what happens because of the second rated-ness of "V"is that "Red Squirrel" becomes a third rate movie before one's very eyes. Towards the end of it we learn in flashback that Lisa was seen in passing by Jay before the accident that supposedly brings two strangers together and that this brief sighting so smote him that he wrote what would become his favorite song. In the beginning Jay is about to off himself, for reasons ultimately that are never revealed, when he witnesses a motorcycle smashing off an elevated road and landing in the sand of a beach. But folks, the woman driving turns out to be Lisa (Elisa), who he had already met and fallen desperately in love with, after seeing her for less than sixty seconds. THE EXTREMELY LONG ARM OF COINCIDENCE ONCE AGAIN POISONS THE WELL. Sometime later in the movie we learn from Elisa/Sofia's brother that she was never hurt badly enough to suffer from amnesia. Even Hitchcock didn't mess up logic this much. Jay, because of his lying about E/S being his live-in girlfriend and subsequent behavior indicates that he should be in a mental hospital getting daily analysis and the appropriate medication. Perhaps too a red squirrel may have deep psychological meaning to the Spanish nation but to this North American, the repeatedly visual references to it had zero affect. By the way, a massively huge problem with Red Squirrel was that the subtitles were out of sync with the actors lips. Whoever the bottom feeder was who allowed this to happen should be horsewhipped at the grave of Luis Bunuel.

Very interesting movie, I watched it in High definition in the HD movie channel. I really liked the movie. The movie starts slow and pick up some momentum story wise (don't expect any big twists and turns), this is not your typical drama or suspense movie but a blend of various genres.Emma Suárez is beautiful. She reminds me a little of Elizabeth Hurley. I loved the scene in which she asks the Felix character, "Don't you want to feel me" and then after that she says "Now it'll bite you". Don't miss it, it was awesome. The sexual tension between various characters is unique, I have noticed that in various movies from Spain. If any of the readers want to recommend some other Spanish movies for me, I would appreciate it.

Got stuck with this film in a late night broadcast on TV. Wondering about the strange suicidal tendencies of mostly all main actors (some only to be revealed in the final quarter) I was sucked into the straight but obviously multi layered story. Since the days of Bunuel's strange satire films I have become addicted to Spanish cinema and again I was not disappointed. Good mixture of love story, mystery Thriller and some decent nice eroticism. Shame my VCR is broken so I can not review this fine pic soon again but next time its on I will be with it, too.Strongly recommended - 8/10*

Stanley Kubrick said: "The best spanish film in history". Maybe not, but if you see the movie, you will understand him. Medem makes his best film. The film critics thought it was the worst (until Sex and Lucía). Even in Spain it isn´t well known, but if you have the chance of watching it, please do it.