Hardcore (2005)

A Major Disappointment

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

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Hardcore to Princessas is like Scorcesse to Ken Loach. It also reminds me of the story The Silent Twins, or a very dark Trainspotting. It deals with an obsessive relationship between two girls, that ultimately will end badly. It is hard to say that they are insane because they are just reacting to the awfulness their situation. We find Martha and Nandia as teenagers working in a Greek brothel. The portrayal of the sex although not always abusive is always shown as exploitative. Making a mockery of all the Belle De Jours out there. This is in no way overdone, and actually very much a slice of reality in a film that contains, dream sequences, and other cinematic conceits. This is not to criticise the style as this is done well and completely suits the mood of which is almost whimsical. The girls and boys sit around while a Fagin like brothel owner doles out clients, and meagre wages. Nandia is the more dominant girl, the only one in the brothel with any ambitions of leaving. But we are unsure of what motivates her and her desires. Later it is revealed that she burnt her parents house down, and shows no concern as to whether they are alive or not, and she continually speaks of having to avenge. The pair have a lesbian relationship, as well as boyfriends, but in the end all their relationships are doomed considering their bad start. I have seen this called a Gay/Lesbian movie but there is no love in this film, and the sex they have is meaningless because it holds no value to them. There is a lovely sequence nearing the end where Martha imagines her and Nandia as normal adults - sitting around a dinner table discussing families and plans for holidays - it makes you realise the toll of prostitution, and what has been stolen from them. There is also a scene where Nandia says, "We'll grow old, we'll keep getting screwed and no one will know. Or care. People should care!" For me the idea is that we are the one's at the dinner table, and somehow these girls have ended up at the bottom, there for us to use.

Saw this movie at the int. film-festival of Gent. First of all : this movie is not for people who are easily chocked.Through the eyes of two young prostitutes named Nadia & Martha (who start a lesbian relationship) we are sucked into a dark world of sex, drugs and violence... but not without content ! The film is about jealousy, the need for a home and family (especially in Martha's case) but above all how hard it is to get out this kind of underground scene. During their relationship Nadia turns out more and more ambitious and manipulative what finally lead to manipulation and even murder. The story started rather slow but the ended very strong.The movie is best described as an urban fairytale of love and betrayal.

Realism at all costs..straight to your face, issues that usually cause revolt to lots of us, displayed in the most realistic way it could be..without being too provocative although that some scenes are way to the edge for commercial purposes (accordin' to my opinion of course).Suitable soundtrack , good photography , Excellent performance by those two young actresses and finally a magnificent directing by Dennis Iliades...in other words a really good movie,However with a really "sad or even disturbing" concept. Blood? sex? violence? or just the way that things work?? All those compose a film drowned in "decadance" but honest and true at the same time... Anyway i would recommend this "new era of Greek cinema" film to those who could use a bit of a shock..or even a 90 minute lasting stimulation of the brain.. Love it or hate it!

Fun and games it's not, a great movie it is. It's masterfully directed it oozes creativity, it's touching and hard at the same time, it hasn't got a boring moment, it was snubbed by critics, it's in one word brilliant. Dennis Iliadis paints a picture of wasted youth but the movie is much more than a cautionary tale. It is a film about longing, about the need to feel at home, the need of a family. The movie's young protagonists may seem as lost cases to some, but they are no different than you and me. They may sell their bodies they may kill for fun and money, but, hey, we all do what we have to do... Try to see this movie. it's worth your admission money(and then some)!