How Rape and Murder has made good viewing
Review of “MAY GOD SAVE US” – Spanish film with subtitles RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL, THE VUE, LEICESTER SQUARE SEPTEMBER 2017
Starring dynamic Antonio de la Torre as Luis Verlade and Javier Alfaro as cool well dressed eccentric with a stutter Roberto Alano, one can only marvel at this gripping story which echoes certain other films about serial killers but this time the killer rapes his victims too. A key attractive and dynamic one of the detectives is the man who realises that the first dead old lady needs to be studied for having also been raped and traces of body fluids are immediately discovered to the surprise of the other police force at the scene of the crime.
Therein unfolds a drama where the police are trying to nail a man who is pursuing defenceless old ladies, raping them and bumping them off. Of course I wondered if this story is based on a real case as during the film we come to learn of a profile of a psychiatrically disturbed man who has a hatred and “love” of old women relating to his childhood upbringing, and we get to see him being investigated. Portraying psychological profiles proves the director does not underestimate the intelligence of his audience.
Very unfortunately the most dynamic cop in the story becomes victim of the murderer/rapist himself and fails to survive but his friend Roberto Alano who is depicted in almost committing a rape himself with a woman he later “gets off” with, is hinted at as one of the suspects for the audience to ruminate on. He is not guilty but his friend has not lived to discover the murderer nearly also kills the cop’s sidekick….I won’t spoil the plot for viewers any further on that score.
Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen, the film is set in Madrid in 2011. It includes a “diversion” in the plot when the pope visits and also the two policemen” joined at the hip” holding up crowds on the underground whilst they are trying to catch “their man” on the run from his latest rape and murder. There are scenes in the police station where eager detectives are remonstrated for their tactics.
Do expect to see scenes of naked old ladies in the mortuary where police visit to view the end products of the rapes and murders. Acting of all the cast is exemplarary giving the viewer the feeling of a voyeur looking at real people not actors role playing. The audience is also coaxed into loving the characters and the intriguing subplot where the detective with a stammer gains a girlfriend through seducing his cleaning lady. Sub plots often are often the making of truly fixating viewing.
Enjoy
Penny Nair Price