Shot eccentrically in a narrow aspect ratio (director Lisandro Alonso said a film-lab accident inspired him to make the entire feature this way), this Argentine production unfolds in gorgeous, painterly visuals with long takes of rugged, remote Patagonia terrain. In the 1880s, Danish military engineer Gunnar Dinesen (Viggo Mortensen) seeks his fortune working with colonial conquerors warring against local Indians. Gunnar belatedly realizes that his teen daughter stirs lust among the soldiers; when she elopes, he embarks on a quest into hostile territory, encountering bloody violence and an elegant cave-dwelling hermit woman (Ghita Nørby). I won't reveal the big twist, but let's just say that Alonso is renowned for his experimental films. Despite Werner Herzog-like themes of civilization stripped away in the hinterlands, however, Jauja is ultimately a little too cryptic—but also truly beautiful to watch. A strong optional purchase. (C. Cassady)
Jauja
Cinema Guild, 108 min., in Spanish & Danish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $34.95 Volume 30, Issue 6
Jauja
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