Intacto

Very stylish but extremely silly, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's fable of luck and destiny follows in the footsteps of such enigmatic Spanish fare as Open Your Eyes (miserably remade as Vanilla Sky). In Intacto certain people not only possess good fortune, but can also “steal” it from others to increase their supply, competing with one another for the opportunity to challenge the current "luck" champion, a Holocaust survivor (Max von Sydow) who haunts a labyrinthine set of catacombs beneath a casino on an island off the Spanish coast. The primary plot revolves around the champ's exiled protégé (Eusebio Poncela) recruiting a promising prospect (Leonardo Sbaraglia) to go up against his old mentor for revenge. Fresnadillo plays out this nonsense with considerable panache--his compositions are often striking, and the mood he creates subtly unsettling--but ultimately the farfetched premise and peculiar plot complications overwhelm one's ability to suspend disbelief, while the Holocaust reference seems rather tasteless. Optional. [DVD extras include audio commentary with director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, a 16-minute making-of featurette, a two-minute digital effects montage, a two-minute Cannes promo, and still galleries that include photos, posters, press books, wardrobe design, set design, and storyboards. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so film.] (F. Swietek)