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)

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)

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)

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)

I like minimalist films set in one place or a specific location. A thriller taking place in a single car, which is parked in one spot for almost the entire duration, hasn't been seen before, and behold, even on this you can build an entertaining and captivating story. The main character is a seasoned criminal who can easily pass the time alone. You probably won't root for him, as he's a terrible bastard, but his pitfalls are enjoyable to watch and you'll experience it with him to the fullest. Towards the end, it even transitions into a critique of contemporary Argentine society and local conditions, which had only been hinted at until then. Some people might not like it, but I didn't have a problem with it and I consider the resolution itself a solid ending. When you have a great script in hand, you can make a quality film even from the seat of a single car. (11/18/2019)