Tesis Reviews

Too didactic to work

Not dissimilar to an overreaching Hollywood B-movie, Tesis serves as a reminder that not all foreign films are clever and skilfully made.

It's not that bad really, it passes a couple of hours and it's a great deal better than 8mm, it's just too riddled with plot holes and improbable behaviour to become absorbed in.

It's as if Amenabar has focussed too hard on trying to say something about the voyeuristic human response to violence and in the process, missed the opportunity to make a plausible film as a vehicle for his ideas. It's not clear what he is trying to say, perhaps even to him.

Tesis is a terrific thriller that will have you guessing until the last five minutes and it will then ask you some very pertinent questions about screen violence. It is more than a simple whodunit. This is a thought provoking movie from director Alejandro Ameeabar and from start to finish asks is it necessary that the public gets what the public wants? The premise of snuff movies may seem similar to 8mm. However, this is a mile away from that film in terms of quality and in genuine jaw dropping moments and thus comparison with that movie is futile. At times the film almost toys with you, taking you one way and then quickly removing all the conceptions of what you think is happening. At just over two hours long you may think that Tesis is over stretching the simple story a little too far. It is a commendation of the direction that this not the case. Tesis grabs you from the very start and simply does not let go until the very end. Highly recommended by this viewer.

Interesting and well crafted

Alejandro Amenabar is a fresh Spanish director who's making a name for himself with Hollywood films like The Others and the original Open your Eyes which was remade as Vanilla Sky.

Tesis was his debut and it already shows promise. A film student decides to do a project on violence on TV etc and stumbles into the dangerous world of snuff movies, and the makers of one particular film could be all around her. Similar themes are explored in The Ring and 8MM.

It gets off to a quick start and doesn’t mess about, quickly absorbing your interest with a mixed sense of curiosity and danger. The actors are all good and the script is also good.

The ending does through a few twists of uncertainty into the path but there is at least a sense of realistic confusion which demands to be resolved.

Certainly worth watching. Although the subject is rather gruesome and some might fin it upsetting, we are spared unnecessary gore.

This is Alejandro Amenabar's very first feature film, and as such it gives a great preview of what is to come in 'Abre Los Ojos' and 'The Others'. This young director/screenwriter/composer has an idea and a vision and the way he incorporates all of his talents into two hours of originality and excitement is inspiring.

The film is also known as 'Snuff' and that should tell you enough about the plot. Well acted, this film is atmospehric, exciting, daring and exploring. If you like your thriller to be edgy and like wondering who the villain is until the very end, you should definitely see this. Higly recommended.

[Highly rated reviewer]

B for effort

Debut feature from Spanish director Amenabar sees film student Torrent getting into sticky situations when she investigates whether a snuff movie she has encountered was actually filmed on her campus. Not for one moment is it plausible, despite the unpleasantness of the subject matter, but it does have some effectively tense setpieces, marking Amenabar out as a talent to watch.

a good movie

a very good movie, although sometimes the suspence seemed to be too much and artificial. before watching this to me ' My Little Eye' was the best horror, but now I think it can be placed in the same rank- and remember it was made about 7-10 years before my little eye

Tense low budget chiller

This is a slow-burn thriller that works well to build up the tension throughout with several Hitchcockian moments of drawn out suspense. It's low-budget makes for a few stilted minutes here and there, but it's got a terrific ending and it's scarily believable.

A Spansih 1st time debut. Atmospheric and creepy. Not exactly scary but intriging enough to keep you watching. Worth a rent.

Pretty good on the whole. If you're a bit tired of hollywood style plots you may find it a little unoriginal, but there are certainly enough twists to keep you more than interested. If you are scanning the world cinema section for something totally out there, look elsewhere. If you just want to see a good horror, give it a try.

The snuff scenes are nothing shocking incidentally...

Excellent thriller and a good choice for a saturday night. Recommend and should not be missed