Cynical and pretentious

Rating: 4/10 (3 April 2008)

An overly long film with a disjointed story.
On its good points: the film is excellently directed. It has an absorbing pace, somewhat reminiscent of Sergio Leone's "Once Upon A Time In The West".
The film is also brilliantly acted. Javier Bardem he main villain of the piece is a particularly chilling figure.
Where it fails is in the story. Themes include such issues as: moral duty, fate, evil and old age. These are presented in a variety of disparate threads, and weaved into a bag that doesn't really hold together. The ultimate result is pretentious.
Whether the film makers intended it or not, the overall message is one of nihilism and cynicism. It is neither profound, thought provoking, nor entertaining.