Alatriste (2006)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Agustín Díaz Yanes

Writers:

Arturo Pérez-Reverte (novels)
Agustín Díaz Yanes (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (Spain)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | History | Thriller | War

Plot:

Viggo Mortensen plays the Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a heroic figure from the country's 17th century imperial wars.

Plot Keywords:

Army | King | 17th Century | Spain | Shot In The Head

Awards:

4 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Viggo Mortensen	...	Diego Alatriste
Elena Anaya	...	Angélica de Alquézar
Unax Ugalde	...	Íñigo Balboa
Eduard Fernández	...	Sebastián Copons
Eduardo Noriega	...	Conde de Guadalmedina
Ariadna Gil	...	María de Castro
Juan Echanove	...	Francisco de Quevedo
Javier Cámara	...	Conde Duque de Olivares
Antonio Dechent	...	Curro Garrote
Blanca Portillo	...	Fray Emilio Bocanegra
Francesc Garrido	...	Martín Saldaña
Pilar López de Ayala	...	Mujer de Malatesta
Jesús Castejón	...	Luis de Alquézar
Cristina Marcos	...	Joyera
Luis Zahera	...	Pereira

Also Known As:

Alatriste de Arturo Pérez-Reverte (Spain) (closing credits title)

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish | Flemish | Latin | Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Spain:7 | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:MA (2008) | Japan:R-15 | Brazil:16 | France:U (with warning)

Filming Locations:

Baeza, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Estudios Picasso

Trivia:

The role of Inquisitor Emilio Bocanegra is played by a woman, veteran actress Blanca Portillo. This caused controversy, not so much because it might look disrespectful towards the Church, but because many fans could not see the point in doing something like this. Díaz Yanes said that he had had the idea of using a female actress from the beginning, because he saw 'that Great Inquisitor role' as something too cartoonish and black-and-white and wanted to introduce a fresh, less recognizable element to it, and still make viewers suitably uneasy about so powerful and fearful a character. He cited the Oscar-winning supporting role of Linda Hunt in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), where she played a man, as an example of what he wanted to achieve. Incidentally, Blanca Portillo wears her hair very short in her next film, Volver (2006/I), as a result of having had it cut for this role.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the white flag scene at Rocroi, the corpses around the Spanish soldiers move between takes.

Quotes:

Conde Duque de Olivares: Without Flandes, there's nothing... Captain.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Spanish Movie (2009)

A great surprise, impactant and visually astounding

Is no surprise for anyone that Spanish writers are conquering the international market: there are the cases of Javier Sierra (Secret Supper), Ruiz-Zafón (Shadow of the Wind) or Juan Gómez-Jurado (God's Spy). Well, this movie is based in five novels of a Spanish bestselling author who preceded all of them in the lists: Arturo Pérez Reverte.

The movie tell the whole story of old soldier Diego Alatriste, a captain of Spanish Army in Spanish Golden Century. This is the most expensive Spanish-language film ever made in Spain (about €24 million – US$30 million). It portrays Spain of the 17th century using both fictional and real characters. Twentieth Century Fox has taken the rights on the film.

The story start whit the Spanish Armada had already been defeated but Spain was still the world's greatest superpower. The Captain is recently home from fighting in Flanders in the Dutch war for independence from Spain. He has come home because of a serious wound that has left him unfit for the military. However, and like many of veterans of Spain's wars, he is fit enough to eke out a meager living as something of a gun, or sword, or knife for hire. He collects debts, avenges the honor of cuckolded husbands, and even kills for the right price. He is very good at his job. Year by year we follow Diego in his violent life, to the bitter end, and his tale is the one of both Spain and the whole world.

The acting, obviously leaded by star Viggo Mortensen is absolutely amazing. A well acting job by Mr Mortensen is no surprise for anyone, but the real living characters that Eduard Fernández (Copons) and Blanca Portillo (friar Emilio Bocanegra) creates are astounding.

Indenpendent chapter deserves the photography, spectacular, and costumes design. A delight.