Review by Peter Syslo
BLAME (2006 Spain) is a film that is included on the “6 Films to Keep You Awake” DVD set. I continue to enjoy this collection (which is like the Spanish version of our “Masters of Horror”) and I will say again that it is quite a bargain, for this high level of quality. As far as BLAME is concerned, it is probably one of the darkest films in this group, but the horror aspect is not as “up-front” as in the others; the picture is more of a thriller, which steadily builds suspense and keeps you focused. It did take me a few minutes to “get into” it, but I was quickly captured by the bizarre and daring nature of this tale. What I mean by bizarre and daring is that the main subject matter of the film is abortion. It isn’t a graphic depiction, by any means (except for a few glimpses of blood), but the inherent “darkness” of the subject created an interesting story which naturally exhibited elements of horror. Though, despite the great build to the climax and the interesting nature of it, I felt a little short-changed with the ending and with the political subtext.
BLAME is directed by Narciso Ibanez Serrador. It is written by Luis Penafiel and is based upon a story by Luis Murillo. The film stars Nieve De Medina, Montse Mostaza, Alejandra Lorenzo, and Mariana Cordero.
The picture is about a young nurse who needs a place for her and her daughter to live. She decides to move in with a friend, Dr. Anna Torres, who just happens to be an OB/GYN who routinely performs abortions in her home office. The road is a bit rocky at first, because Dr. Torres is a lesbian and she takes an instant shining to the young nurse. The young nurse has to fight off her advances, but wants to “play ball” with the doctor because she needs a place to live. Well, the two women and the daughter actually become closer as times goes by and things seem like they will work out. However, things do take a sharp turn when the young nurse finds out that she is pregnant. After receiving no help or reassurance from the father (and much chagrin from Dr. Torres), she decides to terminate, with the help of Dr. Torres. After the abortion is completed, the young nurse finds that she is not quite the same and her daughter starts acting strangely, too (like she knows what happened). An odd side note to the abortion is that the aborted fetus just disappeared after the procedure – Dr. Torres thought that she disposed of it, but she was not sure. Things get really, really strange when Dr. Torres' next patient is mysteriously murdered, in the office. The remainder of the film involves some very unbelievable possibilities and it all comes to a head when the young nurse learns the truth about what is going on inside the house.
BLAME was very captivating. It was stylishly done, with a great suspenseful build and excellent acting. But, as I stated before, I was a little disappointed by the ending. I felt that it was almost anti-climactic and it dissipated a lot of that nice tension that had been growing from the beginning of the piece. Plus, the political subtext just “got to me” as it always does in horror films. I do like depth and complexity in a story, but when a film is overly political it just lets me down a little bit. If it is more subversive (like any of the Romero DEAD films) then I’m okay with it, but when it beats you over the head with the issue, I tend to “loose some faith” in the film (THE HAPPENING was a perfect example of this, as was THE TRIPPER). What I am saying is that I like to keep my horror and my politics separate. With that out in the open, I will say that the ending and that political subtext are my only real complaints about the film. Aside from that, the film was a pretty successful and mildly surreal thriller.
Some of the best moments of the film were a direct product the subject matter – abortion. The nature of Dr. Torres' work and her whole background brought a lot of creepy depth to the story. Also, her past relationships with women are a bit sketchy, which is a claim of both the nosy neighbor and the housekeeper. The whole time, you fear for the young nurse because Dr. Torres is a mysterious woman who has sexual desires towards her. In conjunction with that fear, you begin to speculate as to whether or not Dr. Torres might have killed her former lovers. That tension and suspense drove a lot of the film and it reaches a high point when the young nurse has her abortion and Dr. Torres loses the fetus – I was dying to find out what was really going on and I wanted to see what was in that box (a literal box that her daughter carries around… no, I wasn’t referring to that kind of “box” – would I do something like that?). That is another reason why I felt a little disappointed by the ending. It was such a strong build up until that point and then it just seemed to fizzle out.
Gnawing through the flesh: BLAME is a very interesting and unique horror film. I wanted more in the end and I wished for less of a political slant, but the overall product was a fulfilling and somewhat haunting experience. The combination of abortion, the sexual tension, and the shroud of mystery all served great purpose in the film. The actress who played Dr. Torres was awesome; she was perfect for the role and she brought out all of the creepy nuances of the character. The young nurse, her daughter, the housekeeper, and the nosy neighbor all gave excellent performances, as well, and created a tightly-knit and highly dysfunctional female family. The cinematography is also excellent and the house was a perfect setting for much of the tale (it had a “warmth” to it – lots of dark wood – which offset the coldly clinical aspect of abortion). Although it wasn't a gory film, the quality of the effects was demonstrated by a few instances of blood and a slit throat. They really didn't “go there” for any abortion effects and that was okay, because I feel that it would have taken away from the story. All in all, you have a well-made film that is very stylish, very daring, and it sort of sneaks up on you and seduces you into watching it. BLAME is a unique experience and I give it a 7/10.