Big Bad Wolves

Excellent black comedy. Being funny with a premise like this is something that not many would dare (for instance, Denis Villeneuve last year with Prisoners, which I remembered several times during the screening). Sometimes you feel a bit guilty for laughing about such things, but it is possible when the duo of directors are able to execute it so beautifully. Otherwise, Keshales a Papushado are clearly polishing their author’s signature and, in many aspects, Big Bad Wolves is similar to their début Rabies. The chain of coincidences and twists (some likely, others unlikely) bring so many different characters to one place that they end up getting into mutual, no always friendly, interactions, while deconstructing the traditional rules of the thriller and refusing to meet the expectations of the viewer. Whereas in Rabies all that felt improvised and unconvincing, I didn’t have that problem with this film and I’m looking forward to what’s next. (01/22/2014)

I haven't seen many Israeli films yet; if I'm not mistaken, this is the fourth one, and the previous ones were also co-productions. I was definitely surprised by what the Israelis served up for me. The same theme as in the movie Prisoners, but approached more as a thriller comedy. And surprisingly, it works. Yes, there are moments here that are funny, even though the theme is about hunting a pedophile. It's a variation on what one could or should do, but it's precisely this approach that makes it completely different. It's controversial, it's surprising, but it’s definitely not bad. This took courage, which ultimately paid off. (04/28/2014)

You can really tell that the filmmakers are well-versed and apparently quite enamored with the Tarantinos and the Coens, and that alone is plenty appealing. Plus, there are some really good jokes in certain passages ("you'll like the price – after all, it's surrounded by Arab villages") and the overall balance of black humor dialogue with some pretty harsh scenes works remarkably well. It's also critical to note that the filmmakers manage to maintain a solid tension almost the entire time and that brutal cynicism of theirs is not only pretty damn bold, but at times blisteringly funny. It's a bit off the reservation, no doubt, but in the end it's good beyond expectations. [75%] (05/15/2021)