2 hours ago
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Best known as the creative mind behind the music videos of Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny, Stillz has risen to the top of the industry as an in-demand director and photographer. Interestingly, for his feature-film debut, Stillz has turned away from the glitz and glamour of celebrity to fix his lens on the underdog. Shot on Betacam video and set in the crime-ridden neighbourhoods of 1980s Medellín, Barrio Triste opens with an unexpected act of rebellion: having snatched a camera from a television crew, a group of young men head out on an anarchic joyride and film their exploits in the process. Previously rendered invisible by the system, they have inserted themselves into a tool of mainstream media.
There are moments of crisis here and there – the restless band of youths attempt a robbery and even kill a hostage – yet the primary focus seems to be on vibes rather than plot. The ever-roving camera not only channels the agitated psyche of the main characters but also drums up the chaotic pace of Medellín’s underbelly. One particularly memorable sequence moves from the peculiar sight of a punk duo practising on a rooftop to the garbage-strewn streets, during which seemingly benign interactions can quickly escalate into heated altercations. Echoing the handheld cinematography, life in the slums is unmoored and precarious, as if the ground might give way at any second.
These moments of visual and emotional rawness are undermined by creative choices that err on the side of superfluousness. Arca’s electronic score is stunning, with scattering beats that resemble gunshots, yet its omnipresence in the film overwhelms the dynamism of the camerawork. Also intrusive are asinine sequences where one of the kids answers vague questions about his hopes and dreams, asked by an unseen presence. Though produced by Harmony Korine’s company EDGLRD, the film doesn’t quite measure up to classic portraits of wasted youth, offering little substance behind its propulsive style.
English (US) ·