Dark tales of revenge will make you laugh and shudder

AN outrageously entertaining movie from Argentina, Wild Tales is six stories of revenge that paint a portrait of ­humanity in many different shades, all of them black.

AN outrageously entertaining movie from Argentina, Wild Tales, is six stories of revenge that paint a portrait of ­humanity in many different shades, all of them black.

The opening story, set on a jet plane, sets the tone for the two hours of murder and mayhem to follow. A music critic strikes up a conversation with the fashion model sitting across the aisle. His tone is flirtatious and so is hers, but they already share a connection without realising it. Where the story goes won’t do anything to allay anyone’s fear of flying.

WHY I GAVE MAD MAX FIVE STARS

CLOONEY QUITS NEW TOM FORD MOVIE

Elsewhere, the ritzy wedding of Ramina (Erica Rivas) and Ariel (Diego Gentile) hits an unfortunate snag; and a waitress in a diner (Julieta Zylberberg) has the chance to get even with a rude customer.

Writer-director Damian Szifron has the storytelling gifts of an urban mythologist.

A scene from the Argentinian film Wild Tales which purportedly features a scene reminiscent of the Germanwings disaster. Source: YouTube

It doesn’t take much — a bit of road rage here, a bit of infidelity there — to reveal the savage beast raging beneath the thin veneer of civilisation.

One story stars Ricardo Darin as a successful engineer whose life begins to unravel when his car is towed away. This, and a tale about a wealthy man (Oscar Martinez) whose son is involved in a hit and run incident, takes specific aim at corruption in Argentinian society but the emotions they provoke are universal.

All the stories bring an extra dash of narrative flourish to their endings. Roald Dahl would be chuckling in his grave.

The movie was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar this year (losing to the stunning Polish effort Ida) and Szifron has already signed on to write a movie for Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg’s no fool, the guy has talent, though the kind that may be too dark for some viewers.

opens THURSDAY

WILD TALES

Released by Sony Pictures

Star rating 4/5

Director Damian Szifron

Starring Ricardo Darin, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martinez

Rating MA15+

Running time 122 minutes

Verdict A wickedly funny, black comedy

Originally published as Dark tales of revenge will make you laugh and shudder