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★★★★
Directed by: Donato Carrisi
Written by: Donato Carrisi
Starring: Valentina Bellè, Toni Servillo, Dustin Hoffman
Film Review by: Vikas Yadav
Into the Labyrinth Review
There is a lot going on in Donato Carrisi’s Into the Labyrinth. It is about this girl Samantha Andretti (Valentina Bellè), who was kidnapped 15 years ago and has now resurfaced. It is about this private investigator named Bruno Genko (Toni Servillo) who is dying and wants to redeem himself by solving Samantha’s case and catching the kidnapper (he refused to take the case when the kidnapping happened).
He is not the only one after the abductor. There is Doctor Green (Dustin Hoffman) helping Samantha to regain her memories to catch the abductor. She talks of being held captive at a labyrinth with no entry or exit in sight. But that is not the only weird part. The kidnapper is apparently, wait for it, a rabbit! Referred to as Bunny, this coney is genuinely eerie. His presence fills the atmosphere with dread. Whether he is actually a rabbit or a person wearing the mask of a rabbit is another mystery.
It would be foolish to box Into the Labyrinth into a specific genre. It is at times a thriller, then mystery, then horror, and then all of the three together. It does not end here. The film seems to be a fantasy or maybe a sci-fi which can be deduced from a scene where someone sees an event before it happens at a bar. And what to make of that abnormal movement of a woman who takes Bruno to the basement? Into the Labyrinth is not all thrill. Bruno’s repent radiates drama into this mind game.
The entire film seems to take place at different individually distinguishable sets. One place differs from another in terms of color, lights, and ambiance. There is no continuity as they are all contained and separated from one another. What remains common between the interiors of a hospital, a bar, and a house is the sheer presence of a sinister force. Everywhere the camera goes, a feeling creeps in your mind that evil may be lurking in the corner or in the shadows. It is to Carrisi’s credit that he never lets the story break into fragments despite the shift in tone and genre.
Though Into the Labyrinth is set on earth, its world appears to be something made from the amalgamation of our planet, heaven, and hell. The result is an apocalyptic setting with a selective crowd of people. A hellish fire burns outside. The night fills the surrounding with fiery orange more than the darkness. People complain that the heat is increasing. In such a mood, the color red sends its own signals. The walls of a house are painted red. It vibes of a strange, uncertain fear. This fear seeps into the red ball in the hospital, suffusing the otherwise calm and soothing white-colored confines with a sense of trepidation.
Not many would understand Into the Labyrinth on their initial viewing. Some will scratch their heads. Some will dismiss it as hollow and pretentious. Others will dedicate their time to decode the meaning behind it all. Whatever be your reaction, for me, it was a visceral experience packed with moments of unfeigned horror. This is far from your regular weekly releases both in terms of its overall look and execution.
Into The Labyrinth will be available on DVD & Digital Download from 19th April
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