El Conde (2023)

Written by jw on February 9, 2024

The real-world history of Pinochet et al should be common knowledge. Add the vampire aspect in, and you've got a starting point for an interesting story.

There was potential in the concept, but the result here doesn't go beyond a comedy show skit - with two hours runtime.

The actors are given little to work with, so despite competence and good efforts, half the characters are and stay clichéd. What saves it from being a complete waste of time is the development of Vampire relationships; especially the modernised Renfield is well done.

But what's with the decrepit barracks which turn out to be some kind of a farm? A set of one-story buildings having secret passages and dungeons doesn't make sense; if there was a specific story or cultural idea behind this, it was neither shown nor told.

There's award nominations for the visuals; they must've seen a different movie. What I've seen is on a level many YT content creators achieve or surpass. Hiding the cheapness of visual effects under a brownish-dirt-grey tone for all of the movie is an trick that seldom works.

Maybe it's cherished as a confirmation film, a thigh-slapping, "that's what I say"? That would be clumsy.

Verdict: Can't recommend. Wish I hadn't wasted about two hours of lifetime on watching it.