
Haunted Heart, a romantic thriller film, was written and directed by Fernando Trueba. However, disappointment awaits the audience in terms of romance, and as one may expect from a thriller movie, there are also very few thrilling moments. Only a few things might be appreciated such as Aidaatch Folch’s raw interpretation of the character as well as the aesthetics of the Greek Isles. The female characters in the film are a little underdeveloped and by the time something exciting is shown, it seems to take forever. And when the story becomes interesting there is not enough disclosed that one would find it gripping.
The plot first begins with a Spanish woman, Alex (Aida Folch), who goes to Greece for a job in Max’s (Matt Dillon) restaurant, but unfortunately comes nearly a week late. Max had hired someone else to do the hostess’ catering when she had to come. After some back and forth, Max agrees to allow Alex to take a different position in the restaurant as a waitress. All he requests from her is that she provide him two weeks’ notice before she departs from there.
These opening scenes show Max as a wise, shy, gentle, and reliable guy and Alex, as a hopeless disaster. And then, the tone flips 180 degrees. Alex gets a social circle, excels at work, and becomes rather sexual, flirting with Max, and trying to sleep with him. She is aggressively assertive with him. He’s shy and restrained. It is easy to be shocked by Alex’s transition. Probably, the most difficult thing is to come to terms with the fact that the girl, who was so naive, so beautiful and so cheerful, does not come back.
Matt Dillon is very variable in his portrayal of Max. There are times when I simply can’t think of anyone else who plays the role of a tortured, quiet soul better than him. There are also instances when, due to his overacting, I couldn’t hold my laughter. Folch has Alex in one state unattractive first, then attractive, and lastly weak, but one can’t help but feel that all the different aspects of the character are unrelated to each other.
The first hour is spent in anticipation of seeing Alex and Max meet and take the first steps in terms of development as partners and as a couple. Alex relocates to the island but upon arrival launches into a wham, bam and seduces her boss who does not instantly relent.
Apart from the fact that they are both hot people, there’s nothing linking the two together on the island. The arrangement is, however, not ideal, but they look happy.
And then the mood changes. A troubling picture of Max taken years ago comes to Alex’s attention, followed by other questions and evidence concerning his life prior to arriving on the island. When he lies to her, or says that he requires additional time when she pressures him for answers. And somehow, in thirty minutes the entire perspective of a serene couple on the islands takes a violent turn and now the couple is on a killing spree. The most frustrating thing for me is that we never actually find out why such things happen.
In the past, Alex has been deceived by a partner, and in another instance, she states that she will not allow such a thing to happen again and she does. Alex’s partner is a disaster in every sense, but she keeps coming back. But, as always, we do not comprehend. We don’t even witness her haggling over the choice. These are all lost chances to expand on Alex’s character.
With Max, we find out little tidbits of information about him that are of no use. He is known to have been a musician. He had a spouse and a kid as well. “Malibu Canyon” has some connection apparently. At this point, who knows what that is? We will guess and assume, yet we will not understand “why” and we will not even actually comprehend “what.” There is no narrative perspective present, only fragments of a tale. There is very little that is known that will help people understand the nature of Alex or Max’s characters because there were flashbacks made towards either one of them.
Not even by the third act are we able to understand the character or the reason behind their volatility. When we reach the last scene, all that was building up just appears disorganized. Why Max sought two weeks’ notice is a question worth asking. The moment it was raised, it felt as if it was hinting at something dark that was about to happen. Bait and switch would be the nicest thing to say, it’s a cheap metaphor.
The most unforgivable thing about this film that I’ve seen is that it is not thrilling enough to be a romance, and it is not a thriller. There are pursuits. There is deception. There is even a killing. But I was never scared.
In fact, two people are the only ones left on the island, and they hunt each other. That’s creepy and jaw-dropping! But the scene was not the way the film came across to me.
I am however convinced that Haunted Heart has some untapped potential. It is nice to gaze at and one can even think of the intricacies of the characters’ pasts. In the end, it does not succeed in this particular instance of skill – it cannot remain vague where it is necessary and it fails to focus on the love stories or the excitement it aims for.
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