Los Ultimos Frikis

While not likely to eclipse Wim Wenders' "The Buena Vista Social Club" (1999), Nicholas Brennan's rockumentary still comprises an interesting encore. In Communist Cuba, a hard-rock band called Zeus has long been the island's top heavy-metal-verging-on-grindcore act. Cameras follow the changing fortunes of Zeus' members over ten years. We learn that while rock'n'roll was initially frowned upon by the Castro regime as Yankee-capitalist, the collapse of the USSR and the "Special Period" of an economic crisis in Cuba apparently made 1990s Party bigwigs think twice about music that satisfied rebellious youth. Zeus formed with Diony Arce, star of a previous rock band called Venus whose popularity irritated officialdom (Arce at one point was in prison for six years). In the 21st century, by contrast, Zeus enjoys state subsidies via Maxim Rock, the government rock-and-roll culture ministry (it sounds Orwellian, but the Maxim Rock office is a funky place with a dreadlocked bureaucrat presiding). Zeus screams lyrics of discontent—without ever getting too specific about details—for moshing Havana crowds, but have never toured nationally. For the band's 25th anniversary, however, Havana greenlights a Cuba-wide tour. Results recall "This Is Spinal Tap," Caribbean style, as aging rockers find that fashion has passed them by, and the youth ignore them for reggaeton and electronica. Fidel Castro's death and the Trump Administration chilling US-Cuba relations makes things only worse. A sudden reversal at the finale is a whip-around happy ending right out of Murnau's "The Last Laugh," making the viewer wonder if something got left out in the telling (indeed, Diony won't speak politics on camera, fearing repercussions). Even with its sketchy narrative and zero input from sources close to the dictatorship, the look inside Cuba is a valuable one. Dave Lombardo of Slayer contributed to the soundtrack, even if Metallica gets approved nods from Zeus’ lineup. Buyers should beware of profane language. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)