Customer Review

This is a really excellent thriller, telling a fairly complex story in a straightforward, simple manner. It is pretty fast-paced, and manages to keep the tension up all the way through, without much in the way of action sequences, violence, swearing, or shouting (although there is a little of each). It takes place in both Mexico and England.

The Amazon description is a little misleading: this is not a 'noirish conspiracy thriller' I would describe it as a semi documentary-style political thriller - 'conspiracy' conjures up the wrong image. This is more about injustice and unfairness and how ordinary people become trapped, directly and indirectly, in the cruel and vicious games of politicians. In essence, an ordinary family's lives are thrown into anguish and turmoil through no fault of their own, and they have to deal with jealousy, lies, greed, cruelty, corruption and basic nastiness in order to fight for their very lives.

In many ways, this reminds me of Soderbergh's 'Traffic' although that is slicker and better funded than 'Rabbit On the Moon', I would say they both pack a similar punch and gritty realism that manages to portray the truth of a political situation through an entertaining and thrilling story. Some people, perhaps, may be put off by the absence of stars - but I found the acting very refreshing; the people seemed real and human; the woman does not cry every time someone is nasty to her, nor is she super-tough. The man is scared, but by no means a wimp, and all the actors convey plenty of emotion without trying to look 'cool' or being overwrought.

This is great storytelling with no pointless frills like superstar egos, unnecessary special effects or unbelievable events. Indeed, so well is the story told, that I was convinced I was watching a true story. Certainly, many of the events and circumstances are based on fact, which adds somewhat to the urgency of the story. Even a quick look on the internet about the struggle of the Zapatistas shows the kind of things people have been going through in Mexico, and there is plenty of evidence about the MOD's dodgy dealings over the years.

I wish more films were made like this: it gets on with telling a story, does it competently and entertainingly, does not treat you like an idiot, and actually has something to say! I cannot find anything bad to say about it, which is unusual for me...

[By the way, the run time is not 127 mins, but 107, with a 17 minute making-of as the only extra. The film is also known as "Conejo en la luna," and it is mostly in Spanish with English subtitles, apart from a few scenes in English.]