Panic Fest Film Festival Coverage
Keratyna reivew
A conspiracy theorist finds himself in a Rear Window situation with a twist. Or two.
Festival reviews will not contain spoilers.
Keratyna
Directed by Miguel Azurmendi
Written by Miguel Azurmendi
Starring Fernando Ramallo, Jordi Aguilar, Mireia Oriol, Maiken Beitia, Oier Sola, Jon Viar, Ramón Langa and Carlos Villares
Keratyna Review
Rear Window may not be Alfred Hitchcock’s best film…but it is one of his most influential. It’s hard to think of many movies whose direct set-up has been used more often. We’re not talking about simple homages. We’re talking about taking the whole elevator pitch. A person sees something that leads them to believe that their neighbor is a murderer. Brian De Palma practically made a career out of it. 2007’s Disturbia had to go to court over it. More recently, Watcher used this to fine effect…layering in the paranoia and isolation that comes from being a stranger in a strange land. Keratyna layers in its own twists to freshen up the formula.
Rat (Fernando Ramallo) is an internet conspiracy theorist. He spends many a lonely day uploading videos about lizard people from his room in his mother’s apartment. When a young woman falls to her death in the apartment across the way…Rat sees his neighbor Abel (Jordi Aguilar) in a compromising position. He chooses to keep this to himself…until Abel starts getting close to Rat’s mother.
The first half of Keratyna is about the dangerous situation that Rat finds himself in. His mother is thrilled to have a new suitor. Rat knows what he’s really after. At least…he thinks he knows. Rat becomes obsessed with exposing Abel for what he really is. Keeping his mother safe often feels like an afterthought. Something that is basically confirmed later in the story. When Rat hires an escort to seduce Abel and reveal his true intentions towards his mother…the story of Keratyna begins to change.
The police are investigating the girl’s death, of course. But they don’t seem to be an avenue that Rat is interested in utilizing. Consider it a side effect of his conspiracy addled mind. They suspect Rat is withholding information from them immediately. Their sporadic presence adds another level of stress to his quest for the truth. Or, at least, a truth he will accept. Random check-ins by the police become an even bigger threat in the second phase of Keratyna’s story. That’s when Rat finds himself turning to Abel, of all people, for help.
For his part, Abel genuinely appears like a kind person. Everyone tells Rat that is exactly what he is. From his smitten mother to the call girl who returns to Rat at Abel’s behest…paid double to spend the night with the lonely Rat. We’ve seen exactly what Rat has seen. It leads us to the same conclusions. This man is most likely a murderer…but we didn’t actually see that…did we?
Keratyna’s first twist is a surprise…but one with an outcome you’ll likely see coming. Don’t worry. The movie has an even better one waiting for you. Everything is leading towards an inspired ending. That final phase of the Keratyna story is something we won’t divulge here…but what starts as a take on Rear Window develops into something else entirely. I’d go so far as to call the ending of Keratyna wild…and it’s a testament to the quality of what comes before it that it feels both earned and unexpected. The story refreshes itself a few times in ways that impress.
The cast is in fine form as well. Fernando Ramallo walks the thin line between being adequately unlikable but still being someone whose story you are willing to follow. It’s a hard role. He’s both introverted and annoying. Jordi Aguilar walks his own line between sweet and intimidating. It keeps you wondering what the truth really is…and how much danger Rat and his mother are (or aren’t) in. Aguilar brilliantly plays a scene in which Rat confronts him about everything in a way that feels terrifying…but also makes you wonder if he’s innocent. Top notch stuff.
The supporting cast is just as strong. Ramón Langa is a different kind of menacing as the lead investigator who believes he’s tracking a serial killer…and knows Rat is lying to him. Maiken Beitia plays Rat’s mother…excited by a new relationship that her son seems determined to take from her. She’s the emotional core in the early parts of the story. Mireia Oriol steals her scenes as the escort of many names. Her arrival in the movie changes the narrative going forward.
Scare Value
Keratyna is only the movie that you think it is for a while. It changes forms more than once to remain an engaging, mysterious story with a knockout ending. Performances are strong across the board. You’ll be left guessing what’s actually happening until the movie makes an unexpected move. Everything that was so important suddenly seeming small in comparison.
