OUR LADY OF THE ASSASSINS

Director Barbet Schroeder has shown the ability for his style to overcome a lack of substance in films like “SINGLE WHITE FEMALE”, and “REVERSAL OF FORTUNE”.  On occasion,(“KISS OF DEATH”) his films have had both. “OUR LADY OF THE ASSASINS” is a film that fits into the later category.  

 Taking place in Columbia, the film’s atmosphere and story are dark.  An aging author has returned to the town of his upbringing to revisit memories of his youth.  While there he partakes of the gay underground that surprisingly fits well within the drug and gang culture permeating the streets.  The author becomes smitten with a young boy, whom is all too familiar with the excess of violence and scarcity of values that he’s grown up around.  The two main characters reach out and inward to find some form of meaning from the horrors around them, but they and the audience knows it’s beyond their reach. While not a fun film, it’s a moving one, and thoroughly captivating up until the last frame.   

PARAMOUNT has provided the correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 16:9 enhancement. It’s a terrific transfer!  Schroeder has given the film a gritty feel to it, without any excessive grain. Colors are perfect, varying from vibrant, during fireworks scenes, to muted, during some night scenes.  Fleshtones are perfect throughout.

 The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundmix offers the original Spanish soundtrack.  Surrounds are minimal, but there’s some decent separational effects in the front soundstage, and dialogue is always intelligible and free of distortion.