Batalla en el cielo (2005) Reviews

• Refreshing (and realistic) proposal for Mexican directors

  kms1022005-10-10

  As a Mexican, it is very exciting for me to find new proposals for Mexican modern films. Unfortunately, must of the current Mexican movies are taking the same Hollywood recipe: beautiful actors, violence, soundtracks of well known Latin groups... Batalla en el Cielo does not follow this. The director, Carlos Reygadas, is a person that really wants to show what he has in mind, and does not care about considering distracting elements for having a greater impact in the audience. I am against the use of sex for attracting audience to a film. However, I really think that some (not all) of the sex scenes of this movie were really part of the story. Also, showing sex as it is (not always as idealistic and esthetic as Hollywood has taught us) is an interesting proposal! I consider that one of the main achievements of this movies is to show many cultural traits of my country: -The view of the Catholic religion as a resource to erase the mistakes one has made: "you can do whatever you want, don't worry about the effects because God will always help you" -The notorious gap between rich and poor people: when Ana refers to Jaime's servant as "la gata" in such a despective -but common- way. -The double morale managed by Mexican: how can a prostitute, as Ana, can be a moral leader over Marcos's acts? -The informal commerce (Marcos and his wife sold merchandise in the subway). -The love for soccer (what can I say about that, if I love it?) -Cheating on your partner -The lifestyle in Mexico City, with its traffic jams, way people behave in the subway, neurotic people, kidnaps. All the issues above are part of the Mexican life. Personally, I consider the following opportunity areas: -Not all the music that was used was OK. Sometimes it was too "belic" for me , but at least it is according to the scenes and most of it does not follow the marketing intentions to make you buy a soundtrack -The audio quality should have been improved (it was not easy to understand, even for people used to the way people from Mexico City speak!) -Some (very few!) parts were too slow... but considering Reygadas's style, I might think that it is part of his professional charm. I like to see a different proposal. I would recommend this film to people that, at the time that they leave the theater, really want to think about human nature, rather than thinking if it was an erotic or violent film. I hope my comment has been useful...

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• the most beautiful and resonant pre-title sequence in the past decade

  cgibson142005-08-25

  Much has been made of the gratuitous opening sequence in Reygadas latest picture. Allow me to dispel any fears, this is the most beautiful and resonant pre-title sequence in the past decade. We see the nude Carlos' head and chest and sense it's the prurient cliché of the study of a man's naked soul. Reygadas lulls us into this feeling and then slowly pans down to dissolve our preconceptions. The beautiful music beats giving a real sense of emotional turmoil and we pans down to see the almost child-like (in terms of size beside Marcos) Ana administering fellatio. What could have simply been dismissed as shock tactics is undermined by the unsexiness of the sequence and the music which reaches crescendo as the bored Marcos attains orgasm. The black screened title sequence comes at the peak of the music, we are hooked entirely and excited by the emotional resonance produced by the two protagonists about whom we know nothing about. The film is littered with moments wherein the music reaches such a pitch that we cannot but feel for these ostensibly detached and remote characters, and therein lies Reygadas skill. The film works on a number of levels, parallels are drawn between the rife kidnapping problems in Mexico City and Jesus experiences spent in Hell in the 3 days following his Crucifixion. In Edinburgh Reygadas and his actress Anapola Mushkadiz talked and it was interesting to find how autobiographical his film is. The characters retain their own names and the lead Carlos actually was Reygadas father's chauffeur for many years (and an untrained actor). Anapola Mushkadiz, who is a quiet little phenomenon, has never previously acted and showed little ambition to do so again, attributed her performance entirely to Reygadas. Clearly one of the best current directors with influences of Antonioni and Tarkovsky, he curiously reflected that his next film would be happier, curious his sure touch for the darker reaches in everyday life. Rarely does so subtle and out-right thought-provoking a film get made.

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• Fantastic Film..

  David-M2005-11-17

  This not an easy picture. It requires Patience and commitment. It's a poetic movie about the urban heaven. About real people. About love and about madness. Reygadas is truly an author. He turns a conventional history in to a great ride through emotions, feelings and in to the overwhelming city of Mexico. Either you love it or hate it, no one comes out of the theater without a comment or a reaction. The movie has the power to move you in a positive or in a negative way. And i guess that something to be thankful about. Mexican films, in recent years, are mostly easy going urban comedies. This totally different. A prove that we can make different stories that reflect the sometimes surreal life of our country. This is one of them. With no professional actors, the movie feels honest and. The cast it's in a very natural level. The Sex scenes are not as important as they seem. Sex is finally a part o who we are, and we are use to see great bodies making love on the screen. It's not easy to see real people doing it, because we may see ourselves in them. And when someone throws your reality at your face, you can hate it. But Batalla En el Cielo does that and even more: Takes that reality to another lever and turns it in to poetry. And that it's just fantastic.

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• Dull Exploitation

  claudio_carvalho2018-06-17

  Mediocre unknown filmmakers like to use aspirant actresses in cheap sex scenes to get easy promotion of their "art films". "Batalla en el cielo", a.k.a. "Battle in Heaven", is no different and begins and ends with fellation scenes performed by the hot and sexy Anapola Mushkadiz. The story is a complete mess, there is no explanation for capital points (for example, why Marco and his wife kidnapped the child of a friend?) and the screenplay uses explicit blow jobs, grotesque sex scenes with ugly and fat couple, nudity and even a man pissing his pants to be on the spot. Last but not the least, the pace is too slow and vague in this boring and dull film. My vote is four. Title (Brazil): "Batalha no Céu" ("Battle in Heaven")

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• awesome cinematic tour of life in urban hell

  p-gonzo2006-05-05

  Battle in Heaven is an epic adventure in film in the urban world. It thrusts the viewer into many small worlds without fully explaining each world or how they are connected. You must be open and receive this film or you might be frustrated. The camera-work is radical in style yet actually slow and simple. It's just that nobody takes this truly panoramic approach. The use of music is also powerful and moving. Reygadas has really proved himself a force in cinema with this film. Thematically, the film touches on many views -- one example if the fact that almost everyone looks ugly in this film, yet not repulsive. There is also a sense of raw sexual abandonment despite the lack of eroticism. As well, the film deals with Mexican nationalism, and its Catholicism, and the army, in ways that will have relevance for Mexicans. There is beauty in this movie and the feeling of life's inherent tragedy. Decadence is present and evil casually introduced as an aside. You will also be awed by the bravery of the actors and moved by the raw and close-to-real sex acts.

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