Crab Trap

Original Title: El Vuelco del Cangrejo
Release date: March 12, 2010
Director: Oscar Ruiz Navia
Screenplay by: Oscar Ruiz Navia
Cast: Rodrigo Vélez

Crab Trap tells the story of Daniel (Rodrigo Velez) and the relationship he has with La Barra, a little black community in Colombia’s Pacific coast. In it, he meets with Cerebro (Brain), the leader of the Afro-descendant natives who are having territorial issues with a white man called El Paisa, who wants to build a hotel on the beach.

The film is a little over one and a half hours, even though it feels it could hit the two hour mark. It’s slowly paced with decent performances from the main cast — even if some of the scenes and situations felt forced. The most interesting part of the film is, perhaps, Daniel’s relationship with Lucia (Yisela Alvarez), a little girl he befriends in the community. Other than that, I did not care about him as a character, so I didn’t care for what he was looking for or whether he would get it.

Cerebro’s struggle with progress distanced me even further from the story, when you had other characters that didn’t have issues with it. Cerebro’s antics just end up childish because he’s not comfortable with things changing. However, I will give admit something — El Paisa playing his damn Reggaeton music every night was annoying.

Rating: ★★¾☆☆ 

amy

YAM Magazine editor, photographer, blogger, translator and part-time web designer. Film junkie, music junkie… and lately series (a.k.a. TV) junkie.

3 Responses

  1. Camiele White says:

    Meh, it seems that a great many Latin films are over the top with no resolution. If you want some truly magical stuff, opt for La Nueva Cinema Mexican (New Mexican Cinema) or Brasilian fare. There are a few Spanish films that are worth it, but those are more in the Horror genre (REC, for example).

    Just a suggestion. I’m a lover of all things Latino –the language and the culture (especially it’s music) is just sooooo yummy. I haven’t found much in the way of films, however. If you do find some stuff that’s interesting film-wise, please let me know :)

    • amy says:

      @Camiele White, I do have a love/hate relationship with Latin American film. Mexican and Brazilian films are miles ahead, but was always thinking that Latin American is more than those countries.

      From latest Latin American films, last year I liked Argentina’s Puzzle, and Peru’s Undertow. I also think Chile had some good stuff in 2009 with Huacho and La Nana.

      • Camiele White says:

        @amy, Oooo…I’v heard Puzzle was really good. I’ll have to look into these films when I get a chance. Thanks, Am-ster :D

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