I had tickets to watch Alatriste yesterday but reading syliasyliasylia's opinion about it (HERE) the night before kind of scared me of what I was going to find once seated in the theatre.

Well, I think I can say that I have better opinion of the movie that she has... that meaning, I liked it more than I thought I would, so in some way I have to thank her because I was waiting for the worst and it wasn't that bad at all. As a whole, I liked the movie. There were parts, characters and moments I really liked, there were others that I liked less or simply think that the movie would have been better without them... but well, I like to think that if the author, Arturo Pérez-Reverte, hadn't liked the final result wouldn't have been in the promotion of the movie and all, so...

However, I do have something to say, and that is that Viggo is very good as Alatriste. My friends kept complaining about his accent and his 's's when he talked but I think he did a good job with the pronunciation and I really feel like he gave flesh and bones to Alatriste 'the character'.

That said, I also have to admit that my favorite character due to the perfect characterization and because he is one of the greatest actors in Spanish cinema goes to the actor playing Quevedo, Juan Echanove, he is simply superb. Hope somebody else notices him in the movie and also in the upcoming Manolete, where he also has a part.



Sorry if what is coming now is a bit of a mess, but I think I better write things as they come to my head because if I try to give this an structure I probably won't post about it at all :S

I have to agree with syliasyliasylia and my friends about the lack of a general plot, although I like to think that what was offered to the viewer were kind of snippets of the life of a man who happened to live in a crucial moment in Spanish history: the realization that the starting point to the absolute end of an Empire that was falling to pieces way before they even realized what they were doing... and all due to the way Spain and Spanish are. The bad and the good of the Spanish's character is there for the viewer to see: the courage of the people (I mean not the powerful people but the ones that really got things done, and especially soldiers), their pride about what it represented to be Spanish at that time (the representation, the armed force of a powerful Empire that wasn't that powerful anymore, a rich Empire that wasn't rich anymore...). Those men were courageous to no end, fought side by side and would give their lives for their friends...

We learn how things were to those men being guided by one character Alastriste. We learn about his moral code, what is right and wrong in his book, how he saw life and how he faced it...

I know we do that in a way that isn't comfortable to everybody because, honestly too many bits here and there sometimes leaves you with nothing but a bunch of unconneted facts and moments, and this is what happens here in more than one moment (I don't want to say all the time but it happens, I have to admit that).

I didn't know they wanted to condense the five Alatriste's adventures in a whole movie. This may be one of the reasons why the plot fails, because simply is too much!! but well, now that they messed up that, I tried to focus in the facts that are offered to us and as I say above, you can follow the Captain's life that goes a bit hand-by-hand with the story of a crumbling Spanish Empire.

Alatriste is introduced to us as a Spanish soldier fighting Flemish in Flanders, when that zone was under Spanish rule, being Phillip IV King of Spain. That is the starting point, watching how Spanish soldier fight Flemish. We see how Alatriste's regiment (well, don't know the real name) is commanded by member of the nobility and how this man isn't made to fight in contrast with the rest of soldiers. Alatriste in fact saves his life there... It won't be the last time we see this man, the Count of Guadalmedina.

When Alatriste is back to Spain he has to take care of a boy, Iñigo, son of a falling comrade dead back in Flanders. It's one of Alatriste's biggest concerns to educate Iñigo and make him a good man. However Iñigo's life will be always complicated by Angélica de Alquézar, a girl of nobility with a hidden agenda prepared for the Captain and Iñigo.

Alatriste now with no job and back in Spain dedicates his energies to be a hired swords for different jobs, that of course he has to see clear... That will get him in troubles with powerful figures in Spain's high politics and religion and also made him being introduced to a dark figure Gualterio Malatesta, another hired sword with less scruples and no honor code.

We also are introduced to Maria de Castro, a theatre actress that is Alastriste true love but that would also give him trouble although she loves him back dearly; Quevedo, famous writer and poet of that time that enjoyed criticizing what the King or his Minister, Count-Duke of Olivares did with Spain (if you haven't read anything by him, you should!); other soldiers friend's of Alatriste (that we really don't have time or way to know them by name, just by face because of the different moments and places the plot takes us to); and some powerful figures of Spain's politics here and there.

One of the things that annoyed me to no end was the fact that they used a woman to play Fray Emilio Bocanegra, high figure in the Inquisition. I couldn't understand it! and as she was in a sit-com that they are re-airing, I couldn't take her as the dark figure she was supposed to play... but that can be a personal thing that doesn't have to happen to the rest of people watching the movie.

I also enjoy the work of the actor playing the older Iñigo Balboa, Unax Ugalde. I have always found him quite impressive, because I don't know, I see him very passionate... and as Iñigo he is very good. I love his scenes with Alatriste and with Angélica, but especially love the duel between he and Malatesta to avenge his father figure, Alatriste. I really enjoy that fight because it was like 'let's get to the point, you know I'm going to kill you'. Both men knew what they were doing there and probably what the result was going to be, and any of them refuse to change their fate.

Another really great Iñigo-Alatriste moment was at the end: How Alatriste with just a look and a short movement of his head, indicates Iñigo to go back to rearguard where he should be. How the camera shows the look of sadness in the young man's face, who accepts his mentor's order mixed with the realization that Alatriste indicated him what he already knew the Captain was going to order him... Later the camera focuses in Alatriste in some veteran soldiers, the last of a generation that won't repeat itself, a music I like to think it was a pasodoble starts playing, impressive, impressive piece... and the end of the movie starts playing (won't say anything else).

I have to mention for how touching and tender is, another of my favorite moments in the movie: I love all the encounters between Maria and Alatriste, and that is saying something because the actress playing Maria, I kind of hate her, so the fact that I like her here is a good sign. I love the fact that they know each other from like always but still there are things that can't be... After a lot of things I don't want to tell because I don't want to ruin them for anybody, she gets sick and he goes to visit her in spite of everything... He is knelt before her and touches her face and in that moment you see tears falling down Alatriste's cheeks, silently, showing all the sorrow and regret he feels and also love, deep love, after everything...

However, all those touching scenes lose part of their power as they are given to us in an unconnected way... The viewer change too many times of place, time and characters... and although I like to think that most people got it all, as I did, it is true that some scenes weren't necessary. One that comes to mind is just a tiny scene where Iñigo is in a tavern with a Portuguese, ex-soldier as Alatriste, and the Inquisition soldiers come into the tavern to arrest him for heretic, thing he was just confessing to the boy of being afraid of as all his family has been arrested. When the soldiers ask him to go with them, the man just kills himself cutting his neck and Iñigo is left there trying to stop the bleeding... and that's all. Why did they include that scene??? I don't know... the only mention or/and appearance of that man in the whole movie is while Alatriste is back to Flanders again, Iñigo and his old comrades with him, including this Portuguese that helps another of the men to shot dead a Flemish soldier, and in a moment of chat one of the men call the Portuguese 'Jew', considered heretics also by Spanish Inquisition at that time and the Portuguese gets really furious and have to be stopped from throwing himself to the other man's neck... But that's all! That guy wasn't one of the main characters, his death doesn't impress or influence in anybody apart from Iñigo, and in the rest of the movie there isn't any moment where Iñigo looks down or depressed for what he saw and he doesn't go to Alatriste to tell him the news of this comrade's death, so I truly don't understand why that was so relevant to be included in the movie *shrug*


After all, as I say, the movie can be enjoyed for a lot of things: the cast, the 'story' it tells (if you don't worry too much about the plot)... My advice is just focus in following Alatriste around, watching what happen to him and to those he knows, and learn a bit about how Spain ruin her Empire and didn't recognize the effort of men that would give everything for her.

Besides, as syliasyliasylia says there is also some Viggo shirtless moments that can be a plus for some (I do enjoy them too but it wasn't my main reason to go watch the movie, if you know what I mean. Viggo's presence in general was more powerful that just the naked upperbody shots, imo). For me the fact that he speaks Spanish the way he does (not only in the movie, but also in the interviews I've seen him it about the premiere and all) fills me with glee! ;) He's the best!

Hope the post makes sense. I don't have the energy or re-read it :S