Al otro lado de la ley

Un análisis procesal de una (no) intervención policial con una larga exposición y un clímax imprevisible. Una alternativa negra y descarnada a la adorada Arma letal, en la que el teniente Martin Riggs da por fin la espalda al sistema y a lo políticamente correcto, y, de forma sucia, apunta a una versión muy mejorada de los hijos de puta nihilistas de El gran Lebowski. Para lo larga que es la película, no pasa mucho en ella. Reduciría sus eventos a las dos primeras horas y solo desataría el infierno absoluto en la última media hora, que es lo que le falta. Inferno con un villano más desarrollado, Thomas Kretschmann. Zahler nos mimó con un Brawl in Cell Block 99 más pulido y redondo. A pesar de eso, Al otro lado de la ley sigue siendo un paseo muy chulo que entretiene con su alteridad y da escalofríos. Y en la que Zahler remata con simpatía la obra maestra anterior, por ejemplo con el personaje de Jennifer Carpenter, que aquí besa los pies de su hijo pequeño. P.S.: La escena del banco la mostraría entera [Sitges FF] (10.10.2018)

For me, S. Craig Zahler has become something a newly emerged American filmmaker, whose every next film in an incredible experience. This is the third time I meet with his craft, and it is once again the case. The precise dialogues might be not as filled with pop-cultural references as those in Tarantino’s movies, but they are wonderfully on point. Add in the brutality that doesn’t pull any punches. At the same time, it makes you wonder how far a film can go and not to cross the line. Here there’s at least one scene that crosses it, and I think the director likes to include something like this in his every movie. Moreover, it is interesting that he makes his movies based on his own script and uses his own music as accompaniment; he might be something of a genius. Moreover, the movie features the perfect duo of Gibson and Vaugh, who look like a throwback to the 1990s. Simply fantastic, what can I say. Had ti been a bit shorter, I’d have given it five stars. I understand that the director made some scenes longer on purpose for the atmosphere, but sometimes it was too much. Anyhow, it remains a decent action movie, one of the most distinctive ones in the recent years. (13.08.2019)

Two cops are suspended for six weeks. They need money and are angry, so they decide to rob a gang that is planning a big heist, but things go a bit wrong. S. Craig Zahler is still as uncompromising, surprising and unpleasant with his third film. And even though we already know what to expect from his stories, this time he manages to shock and unsettle and is as cruel to his audience as he is to his heroes. Fans of the director will not be disappointed by his new film, because this is exactly what we wanted to see from him. (25.03.2019)

Who is on the wrong side of S. Craig Zahler's new film? The whole world, as usual. A slow-burning heist / police story / buddy romance without emotion, Shotgun Safari in slow motion. Emotionally, it is the Coen Brothers meet Lethal Weapon in an alternative reality, where cruelty knows no bounds and fate is hungry for the blood of innocents. Zahler is one of the few filmmakers who can claim the title of original and visionary. The previous Brawl in Cell Block 99 was somewhat more of a compelling, radical, immersive monster, but watching Mel Gibson for two and a half hours in one of his best roles amounts to great satisfaction. Plus, I value another Sy Ableman feat. Fred Melamed with Jewish gold. (26.03.2019)

“We have the skills and the right to acquire proper compensation." It is typical for Zahler that overarching plot is simplistic and the story in terms of “who, what, why, how" is clear from the very first moment. Basically, according to all principles, the story line should not be enough for more than a two-and-a-half-hour film. But it is. And the reason for that is unusually strong dialogs, characters and performance and gradation of individual situations. This is also reflected in his “author´s" directing. The scenes, as he shows them, would barely last a few seconds in movies of other´s directors or ended up on the floor of the cutting room. But in his movie these scenes are highlighted. He let them slowly flow in a non-film and statical way for long minutes “where nothing seems to be happening and where there might not be any reason for them". But there is. Subliminal tension, characters and actors who have the space to perform minimalist performances benefit greatly from this. So, it's still true that the length and slow pace are justified (except for the unnecessary anabasis around the character of Jennifer Carpenter) and that it's so unique that it's not for everyone. This time it applies even more, because inevitably many will confuse it with the film's message / opinion of the film maker and not of the characters, due to the real right-wing racist main characters of the “white angry middle-class men". But we can only blame time we live in. And we must admit that this time Zahler uses the “troll" level quite deliberately and damn skillfully (about 70%). Fortunately, however, this does not overshadow the fact that this honest and harsh criminal movie from an older than old school is mainly and above all based on the characters an (100%). (24.03.2019)

S. Craig Zahler one of the most interesting and distinctive directors of recent years. After the western Bone Tomahawk and the brutal prison thriller Brawl in Cell Block 99, he brings us a solid raw crime film starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn. Although it’s mostly dialogue and takes place mostly in a car, it almost doesn't matter, because watching two excellent actors critique the social situation in America and hilariously stick it to us is a blast. The highlights are definitely the uncompromising bank robbery and the final shootout, which takes pulls no punches. Uncompromising, violent, surprising and actually unpleasant, that's Zahler. Some may be bothered by the 160-minute running time, but surprisingly the film passes quickly. 80% (26.03.2019)

Zahler chose a more accessible style, but that doesn't mean it's predictable or less brutal. He presents very contemporary topics in this movie, which moralizes about two cops whom the system has driven to the edge of the law. Gibson has a successful comeback in terms of acting and Vaughn is great as his partner. And he has to be. A considerable portion of the picture involves them sitting in a car and chatting. There isn’t much action, but when there is, it’s realistic and brutal in typical Zahler fashion. The fate of the supporting characters is often shocking. The film's slow pace makes sense. (25.03.2019)

A noir version of Lethal Weapon, a film with a complex script and many characters, yet intelligible, dark, cynical and cruel. From a director who is not afraid to go beyond the edge of standards and in a sense does absolutely what he wants, creating a new subgenre – a dark alternative to Tarantino's films, where the dialogue passages are also often ridiculously over the top. A film from a different era with distinctive qualities, yet perhaps too long. (13.04.2019)

S. Craig Zahler has the audience, as well as his characters, absolutely in the palm of his hand from the beginning and does absolutely whatever he wants with them. While the characters have no choice but to struggle, we have no choice but to watch because it's that great. Grim atmosphere, unexpected situations, impeccable actors led by Mel Gibson in his best role since Signs... As far as violence goes, it's not quite as murderous as Brawl in Cell Block 99, but the tension and pervasive bleakness make up for it all. However Zahler does it, he's once again written and directed one of those films that people call unforgettable. (26.01.2020)

Dragged Across Concrete is another good film by Zahler that may lack the shocking scope of his previous gem and some scenes look as if the talented filmmaker was trying too hard to improve and rip himself off, but patient viewers will not regret the time spent in the company of this mesmeric director’s vision. Pushing your expectations to heavenly heights would be a mistake, but it would be even worse to overlook this old-school and yet original and distinctive piece of craftsmanship. Personally, I will gladly go back to it. (27.03.2019)

Al igual que la anterior película de Zahler Brawl in Cell Block 99, la trama se centra en la protección y la seguridad de la familia, aunque esto puede llevar a los protagonistas a un viaje al fin de los tiempos. En la parte negativa, ofrece un enfoque frío y muy realista, junto con una larga exposición de los personajes, para que el espectador conozca a la perfección sus motivos y pueda desarrollar una relación suficiente con ellos. Por supuesto, este podría ser el punto más controvertido, porque a diferencia de las anteriores películas del director, con una sola exposición lineal para todos los personajes (Bone Tomahawk), o un solo personaje principal (Brawl in Cell Block 99), aquí hay un largo esbozo del trasfondo de cuatro individuos distintos. Con ello la película pierde ligeramente algo de ritmo al saltar de uno a otro. Sobre todo cuando nos quedamos con las ganas del genial dúo Vaughn - Gibson, cuyo diálogo funciona a la perfección. Además, Zahler plantea una polémica bastante atrevida hoy en día, sobre el exceso de la corrección política en conflicto con la aplicación de la justicia. La pareja central de policías es suspendida y lanzada a una espiral de muerte más allá de la ley. Una película cruda y desagradable, pero de la que es imposible apartar los ojos. [Sitges 2018] (10.10.2018)

Después de la claramente fantástica Brawl in Cell Block 99, la película Dragged Across Concrete es dramáticamente más moderada y también menos brutal y densa, pero nuevamente se pone al día con el estilo de narración ampliamente concebido. Básicamente, toda la historia se puede resumir como una acción de persecución de dos socios policiales suspendidos, quienes, con la visión de obtener una gran ganancia, se sumergen en una empresa criminal, que gradualmente crece sobre sus hombros. Sin embargo, S. Craig Zahler concibió la historia de una hora (genial) como un drama criminal procesal con casi tres veces su duración, en el que cada personaje principal debe tener una larga exposición con una historia claramente definida, motivaciones y antecedentes familiares (en Brawl in Cell Block 99 tenía uno de esos personajes, mientras que aquí hay al menos tres, lo que diluye un poco la dinámica narrativa), incluso para aquellos protagonistas que no necesariamente lo necesitarían (un intermezzo completo de diez minutos con Jennifer Carpenter, que culminó en un atraco a un banco, es en sí mismo un cortometraje excelente y muy impresionante, que sin embargo, es de mínima importancia en relación con los eventos circundantes). Película compleja inteligentemente dirigida, ingeniosamente construida, penetrante y consistentemente honesta, por lo que a veces le falta ritmo (especialmente en pasajes de diálogo) y en el sentido de violencia escasamente dosificada, sorprendentemente cuando las escenas que conducen a algo sangriento a menudo pueden predecirse. Sin embargo, la trama se desarrolla de manera impredecible y todos los aspectos de la película son poco profesionales. Vince Vaughn tiene un papel mucho más refinado esta vez, Mel Gibson es un gran compañero de equipo y también disfruta de las críticas por la exagerada corrección política en relación con la brutalidad policial mediada por los medios. En comparación con Brawl in Cell Block 99, no es tan impresionante y emocionalmente devastadora, aunque es una línea que probablemente no se puede pasar. (10.10.2018)

"Likewise." One of the main reasons Zahler's films so far have been conducive to developing a close relationship with the protagonists has been their struggle with absolute, unconditional evil. It’s no different here, and that is why it was necessary to be more cautious from the start, because here for the first time he decided to express himself beyond the medium of film and comment on the current state of society. Because in the context of a fictional fight against evil, of course the truth understandably does better, doesn’t it. And the opening dialogues really smacked of trouble in the way they expressed a position as if on paper. By the way, older actors past their zenith should be banned from using lines containing the word "nowadays" in contemporary films. Thank you. Once again, however, the overlong exposition, minimization of formal shorthand, and attention to detail helped Zahler to a breathtaking second half of the film, where almost every shot is unexpected, every punch hurts incredibly, and everyone here delivers on their guarantees. Especially the bad guys. The impact of gunshots in the silent, slow space drowning each scene then literally breaks into the viewer's safe zone, presenting a unique physical experience that is so rare these days. And for that, Zahler is to be loved. As much as I wouldn't want to be a female character in his film. Few people really dare to do what he does to them. (08.04.2019)

The film was long and noticeably so, which is a real problem. The story basically had two modes: 1) action film with a great atmosphere for a tough audience and 2) some sort of uninteresting thing that was dragging on and on. When I balance out the pros and cons, it amounts to a decent three stars. The film’s biggest asset was that its authors avoided the all-pervading political correctness. I was often thrilled with what I heard, which is why I had to give four stars. (04.08.2019)

Zahler certainly doesn't worry about whether or not it's "sufficiently audience-engaging and engrossing in every second" and builds the entire exposition at a very tepid pace indeed. Still, I wasn't bored for a moment, which is mostly a credit to the great dialogue and the gradual tightening of the screws. It was good to see Mel Gibson back in a proper role after all his (personal) screw-ups and he and Vince Vaughn make a great duo here. Anyway, this third feature film by Zahler is probably his most conceptually interesting out of what he's done so far. It doesn't have the frenetic "video game" vibe of Brawl in Cell Block 99, nor is it as intensely explicit as Bone Tomahawk, but the social/societal dimension of the overall narrative is obvious and very important here. Through the lens of Mel Gibson's character, the whole story could be seen as a critique of the modern hyper-correct age, where the old ways have long since disappeared, and where those "old school honest men" have it pretty tough unless they're willing to climb up the right assholes. In fact, I see the whole film as a kind of sighing over the present time and especially at the principles and mechanisms on which today's ideals are built. [Febiofest 2019] (01.04.2019)

S. Craig Zahler deserves a medal for such an original and clever whodunit with a strong social overlay. Especially since the crime genre in America has been on the decline in recent years. I am amazed that he not only wrote the screenplay, but also contributed significantly to the music, which very much suited the slow pace of the narrative, and he directed the whole thing himself. I'm getting more and more interested in this guy. Some of the dialogue in Dragged Across Concrete could be set in stone. Occasional black-humored quips lighten the tense and ever-thickening atmosphere. The story has a consistent and engaging plot with unexpected twists and turns. The icing on the cake is the well-chosen cast. (85%) (31.07.2021)