Recent Reviews for Cronos
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MCT:July 4, 2008guillermo del torro directs before pans labyrinth and heelboy made him a ell known name, a tytpical film for him, a gothic tale of possessed souls and demons, a interesting spanish/english language, with regular ron pearlman making a interesting mark
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MCT:June 30, 2008I was really excited about seeing this one after Del Toro's superb work on Pan's Labyrinth. Cronos starts out quite atmospheric and well-shot, and the premise is great, promising an interesting horror movie. However, once the climaxes start coming on, I felt the plot collapsed entirely, ruining the great first half of the movie.
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MCT:June 29, 2008''In 1536, fleeing from the Inquisition, the alchemist Uberto Fulcanelli disembarked in Veracruz, Mexico. Appointed official watchmaker to the Viceroy, Fulcanelli was determined to perfect an invention which would provide him with the key to eternal life. He was to name it... the Cronos device. 400 years later, one night in 1937, part of the vault in a building collapsed. Among the victims was a man of strange skin, the color of marble in moonlight. His chest mortally pierced, his last words... Suo tempore. This was the alchemist.''
In 1535, an alchemist builds an extraordinary mechanism encapsulated into a small golden device. The invention...
Federico Luppi: Jesus Gris
Ron Perlman: Angel de la Guardia
Guillermo Del Toro's Cronos is a surreal and stylish take on the vampire legends of old and remians one of the most strangely underrated films of the 90's.
Del Toro was little more than a rookie director at the time this came into being but in that regard he's more than given the pro's a drove of competition.
Every scene in Cronos is skillfully filmed, and the way that Del Toro makes contrasts between locations and the two central families is a grand achievement.
The way that Cronos alternates language from English to Spanish and back again is very clever.
Many subjects are explored, from obvious ones like addiction, to more concealed ones such as a thought on family, tracing the way to the roles of child and parent or even Nephew and Uncle.
For the story of Cronos Del Toro has taken the timeless vampire theme and blended it with mechanics and the human lust of being able to sustain life indefinitely.
The story follows Jesús Gris, an antique dealer that lives with his granddaughter Aurora and wife Mercedes. One day our hero chances upon a mechanical beetle that latches itself onto his palm, causing him to shed blood.
Jesús slowly gets addicted to the mystical object, but there's someone else that desires it and will stop at nothing to get hold of this wondrous device.
The mythology of the beetle is told in a great opening prologue that sets the viewer up for an intriguing original story.
Del Toro ensures that his audience is always left guessing and two steps behind.
Cronos works and clicks due to interesting characters that the audience is able to feel for, a story to be compelled by and a mystery tastily wanting to be uncovered. -
MCT:May 31, 2008CRONOS (1993)
directed by Guillermo Del Toro
starring Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio BrookIn the 16th century, a device was build and was supposed to provide immortality to whoever uses it. Four hundred years later, the alchemist who had it with him disseapeared but before he hid it in a sculpture. That sculpture found its way to an antique store where an old man living with his wife and grand-daughter finds the little object, the cronos device. He slowly discovers the power of the object when he realizes someone else is looking for it.Cronos is an original and interesting take on vampirism. Its about immortality and its consequences but it begins as a film about addction.
This is Guillermo Del Toro's directorial debut, and already he showed his talent and potential. Mixing horror themes with drama always keeping his characters in sight. Like Peter Jackson he has a flair for grotesque elements but keeping them from becoming laughable. He knows how to build an atmosphere thats for sure and this film looks surprisingly good for a small-budget picture.
The first half of the film is definately more interesting with the main character discovering the consequences of using the cronos device. He feels young and becomes thirsty for blood but he cant explain it. The second half is more conventional with a confrontation with the film's villain, but still interesting in its own way.
Federico Luppi gives a nice performance as the old man and Ron Perlman is always fun to watch in whatever role he plays. Again there is a child witnessing the events that occur in the film and as it is always the case with Del Toro, the kid isnt afraid of the mystery but rather intrigued. Cronos is a cool flick, it looks dark but there are some comedic moments, as it is always the case with Del Toro. Not bad.
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MCT:March 23, 2008
It starts off well but I felt it finished too quickly without developing it as fully as it could have. Still think its a good film though with a lovely dark edge to it, although ignore the vampire aspect its not a vampire movie!
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MCT:March 7, 2008
Prior to Del Toro's CGI rampage, he was known for "Cronos": A more anthropic way of depicting vampirism when taking the eternal life theme into account.
Here, Del Toro still includes the mature themes for the juvenile characters, but in my opinion, they are less ostentatious - something I hope to see whenever a child performer is on screen.
During the rest of the film you will still find Del Toro's more likeable style distributed appropriately. Without diving too much into the film, I'll simply state that if you like Del Toro now, you should see what he was like before (To me, he seemed more original). -
MCT:February 9, 2008
tense and imaginative, although lacking in scares and suspense. it's more of an old fashioned story than a horror so don't rent or buy this expecting to get cheap thrills or quick scares. for what it is... it's not bad. it's no pans labyrinth but it's some of guillermo del toro's earlier work which also comes across very fairytale-like. i think del toro's art is in being a good story teller. hopefully his films keep getting better and better
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MCT:February 6, 2008
I saw Cronos recently on TV. I was so glad I managed to see it, because I love films by Guillermo del Toro.
This film is a good start to his work, although it's not as good as his recent work.
This is quite a peculiar film, and the main character looks a bit like Steve Martin!!! Lol
It's all about a man who learns of a device that will help you to stay alive forever. The character finds the device, but there are no instructions. However he knos the man who has them, and it's a battle with this man to get the instructions and keep the device.
then there is the story about what the device does, and the aftermath.
It's a great story. But lacks something... -
MCT:January 7, 2008
del Toro's debut film as director is excellent and hints at the better films that are to follow. A vampire film with a difference.The story line takes a few leaps in places but overall...a satisfactory horror.
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MCT:December 19, 2007It's got some creepy and bloody moments, but its focus is on the human relationship between a grandfather and his granddaughter. It's not scary enough to be a horror flick and too gory to be the former.
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MCT:December 7, 2007
You can see the way the genius that is Pan's Labyrinth would come about in this great directorial debut of del Toro. This is like a more modern Nosferatu... It has so many under-currents like addiction, eternal youth, and love bringing you through becoming a full monster. Very clever and scary beautiful movie...
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MCT:September 20, 2007
A interesting and original take on vampirism. While not scray or even particularily thrilling it seemed to be chock full of atmosphere. Some of the design on this movie from the device itself right through the make up and sets was awesome. In a weird way it almost reminded me of a story from the outer limits or the twlight zone. Pisses on any of Del Toro's american movies.
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MCT:August 14, 2007One of the most talented and hard-working directors alive today is Guillermo del Toro. He made such a masterpiece in 2006, Pan's Labyrinth, that my, and presumably everyone else's, proceeding viewings of any of his other films were going to have a tough time living up the best. My next viewing of one of his film's was Cronos - a film I almost completely hated.
Part of the reason this 100% pales in comparison to Pan's is the very fact that I inevitably compare the two. But the main reason this isn't as good is simply for the fact that it isn't as good and is in fact not good in any way, shape or form. I couldn't, and still can't, believe how terrible this film was. I was expecting, inevitably something of lesser quality than his crowning achievement, something at least watchable. But Cronos turns out to be almost unbearable, unwatchable and just a bad film.
I think what I thought was the worst about it was how damn slow it was. There are films that have a slow pace and yet are still enjoyable and that slow pace suits the film. This wasn't one of those cases as here a pretty fast pace was definitely called for. The film seems to linger on too many unimportant things, and also has a tenfold of unnecessary scenes, instead of just getting on with what the film is supposed to be about.
The reason that I watched this film, apart from the fact that del Toro is the director, is that it is a vampire movie. I always have been, and always will be, a sucker for the vampire genre of movies. No matter who the director, no matter what the story is or who the actors are within; I will give any vampire movie at least a chance. So basically a combination of many things made me watch this film and I actually regret doing so. This is 90 minutes (that feels like double that) that I didn't enjoy and subsequently will never get back. I suggest that you don't make the mistake I did and avoid this, effectively, waste of time.
But if you don't want to take my advice and want to put yourself through this in spite of what I said here is the positive sides to the film. First of all there is a very dark and creepy tone to it all, reminiscent of del Toro's other work, that is very well done. And also the directing, as expected, is a work of a master and you can really see the talent, that would later become Pan's Labyrinth, shining through.
But in the end the negatives far outweigh the positives. What I expected to be an exciting, original and interesting film was in fact a grotesque, ugly and downright boring example of a "horror" film.
Full Review Here -
beautiful and scary!!! and very underated... now that people have seen pans labyrinth, they all pretend that they have been fans for years!!!
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MCT:July 27, 2007
An interesting premise which failed to live up to its potential. Neither scary nor suspenseful despite what all the reviews say.
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MCT:July 7, 2007
Thank God it was Del Toro's first film, because it feels exactly like that. An interesting story that simply doesn't deliver like it should've have; nevertheless a good way to start and leave people hungry for your talent to grow, which in his case has.
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MCT:June 30, 2007
This movie is a really artistic and different approach to a vampire movie. It feels a bit more classic and old fashioned. Some of the settings and backdrops are so well done, they amaze me.
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MCT:June 17, 2007A bit of a waste of time, as it seems to be usually the case with del Toro. Interesting premise, but nothing really explored - all attention given to cheap FX!
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MCT:June 9, 2007
i was expecting more action, more blood, more gore.... and it just wasn't there. the plot is good, but there should've been more baddies perhaps. the art direction is clearly recognisable as del toro though so it's picturesque and i liked the ending, albeit predictable. i think hellboy's a bit more fun though.
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MCT:June 8, 2007
Saw this ages ago and it creeped me out. Nowhere near the same effect now but still an enjoyable movie with novel ideas for the whole Vampire theme.
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MCT:June 7, 2007
a great wee take on the vampire mythology, Del Toro again masterfully directs with great cinematography
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MCT:May 29, 2007I love what del Torro did with the vampire theme in this film. Check it out!! I'm also a big fan of family films and the relationship between the grandfather and grandson is touching- it's also what makes the movie.
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MCT:May 25, 2007
After I find out how great a director Guillermo del Toro was I wanted to hunt down damn near anything he did to watch and sadly this was some what of a hit and a miss, mind you it was done in 1993 so perhaps it was before his "prime" I dunno just wasn't there.
Favorite part: the begining, just because I had high hopes for it. -
MCT:May 25, 2007
Guillermo Del Toro and his vampire movie. Ron Perlman in this drove me insane, but in a good way. I just thought something could have been done better, but I won't knock it for what it is.
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MCT:May 22, 2007
The movie poster has NOTHING to do with the movie, just a way to get males into the theatre I imagine. Funny and stomach-turning, but not scary in any way.
