4x4

With its unpredictable yet believable plot development, this thriller is capable of achieving a lot in a small space. The main character gets himself into an uncomfortable situation, which he well deserves. Surprisingly, it’s never boring or irritating. Punishing the culprit and wondering how the situation will develop just add to the fun. Therefore, I was slightly disappointed with the ending – I expected more from this fresh and bold flick than just pointing out the alarming crime rate in Argentina with a pathetic climax. [Sitges FF] (10/05/2019)

An impressive thriller about a thief trying to rob a car and falling for the bait placed inside by a seasoned doctor who has had his car turned into a darkened and bulletproof trap for potential criminals. This intelligently devised and skilfully written and directed film was created in the modest space of one street and one interior with all-wheel drive, and it develops in unexpected ways. It starts with an attractive idea of a person trapped in a car with limited resources, talking over the dashboard with the car’s owner. The film first innovatively uses the car's environment for various dramatic-comedic situations, although the middle section gets a little boring. Finally, it gradually works its way from a story about providing a hard lesson about theft to a clever and critical-social commentary (full of surprising twists) on life in cities with a high level of crime, on the need to respect the rules of mutual decency and on taking justice into one's own hands. (10/04/2019)

After initial misgivings about watching an hour and a half long minimalist thriller about a thief trapped inside a luxury SUV, I was quite skeptical about 4x4, but in the end, it turned out to be a very imaginative and dynamically fluent movie reminiscent of Joel Schumacher's Phone Booth. However, the unexpected direction in which the story went in the last third part of the movie, where there is a very literal social critique of insecurity on the streets of Argentina, literally put the whole movie on another level. 4x4 is an unexpectedly powerful movie, which not only goes down the road of straightforward entertainment within its genre but also ambitiously draws attention to much more serious problems in the modern world. In the final, it is quite a devastating spectacle. [Sitges 2019] (10/06/2019)

I love minimalist films set in a single location, and a thriller that takes place almost entirely inside a parked car is definitely unique. This movie manages to build a gripping and entertaining story around that premise. The main character is a seasoned criminal who carries most of the film on his own. You probably won’t root for him since he's quite the jerk, but watching his struggles is thoroughly engaging. By the end, the film also transitions into a critique of contemporary Argentine society, which was hinted at throughout but becomes more explicit in the conclusion. Some might find this shift jarring, but I didn't mind it and thought the resolution was solid. With a great script, you can create a compelling film even within the confines of a car seat. (11/18/2019)

A nice little original survival thriller from Argentina! The story focuses on a thief who breaks into a car, but this is the biggest mistake of his life. The car has a highly sophisticated security system and there is simply no way to get out of it. The Argentinians work nicely with atmosphere and tension in the small space of such a 4x4 car and the protagonist has some pretty unpleasant moments there, especially when the owner speaks to him through the radio, which makes the film more interesting. The finale is unexpected and properly suspenseful. A fine short one-off. Story****, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence***, Entertainment****, Music***, Visual***, Atmosphere****, Suspense****. 7/10. (04/30/2020)