Turistas (2006)

Director:

John Stockwell

Writer (WGA):

Michael Ross (written by)

Release Date:

1 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Go Home.

Plot:

A group of young backpackers' vacation turns sour when a bus accident leaves them marooned in a remote Brazilian rural area that holds an ominous secret.

Plot Keywords:

Brazil | Backpacker | Beach | Vacation | Cliff

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Josh Duhamel	...	Alex
Melissa George	...	Pru
Olivia Wilde	...	Bea
Desmond Askew	...	Finn
Beau Garrett	...	Amy
Max Brown	...	Liam
Agles Steib	...	Kiko
Miguel Lunardi	...	Zamora
Jorge Só	...	Bus Driver
Cristiani Aparecida	...	Native Beauty
Lucy Ramos	...	Arolea
Andréa Leal	...	Camila
Diego Santiago	...	Jacaré
Marcão	...	Ranan
Miguelito Acosta	...	Jamoru

Also Known As:

Paradise Lost (UK)
Turistas: Holiday of Horror (Malaysia: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic violence and disturbing content, sexuality, nudity, drug use and language.

Runtime:

93 min | 96 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Brazil:18 | Singapore:M18 | Malaysia:18PL | Australia:R | Australia:R (2007) (unrated version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Germany:18 (R rated version) | Finland:K-18 | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Chapada Diamantina, Lençóis, Bahia, Brazil

Company:

Stone Village Pictures

Trivia:

When Pru reads the names on the medicine bottles in the house, one of the names she mentions is Gustav Roth, the actor that plays Svend.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Kiko busts his head open and is being repaired at the evil Doctor's house, he goes wild and lays down for the evening to heal. When he gets up, he is completely composed and acts as though nothing ever happened. Even his injured head has healed as there is no scar or bandage.

Quotes:

Finn: So, how does rank on your other trips?
Pru: After the last few days, right at the bottom. You?
Finn: Well, we had a pretty tough time in Cambodia.
Liam: At least we had that hash.
Finn: Yeah, and those Dutch girls.

Movie Connections:

Features "Hogan's Heroes" (1965)

Soundtrack:

À Procura da Batida Perfeita (Album Version)

Good Night, Cinderella

While traveling on vacation through the country of Northeastern of Brazil by bus, the American Alex Trubituan (Josh Duhamel), his sister Bea Tribituan (Olivia Wilde) and their friend Amy Harrington (Beau Garrett) meet the also foreigners Pru Stagler (Melissa George), Finn Davies (Desmond Askew) and Liam Kuller (Max Brown) after an accident with their bus. They follow a track through the woods and find a hidden paradisiacal beach. They decide to stay in the place drinking beer and dancing funk and parting with the locals and they meet the amicable Brazilian teenager Kiko (Agles Steib). They are drugged with "Bom Dia, Cinderela" (translation: Good Morning, Cinderella - a trick used by smalltime crooks to steal naive people) and when they wake up, they are practically naked, with all their belongings, clothes, money, jewels, passports, backpacks etc. stolen. They walk to a small village trying to find a police station, they get into trouble with the dwellers and they are helped by their acquaintance Kiko, who leads them to his uncle's isolated well-equipped cabin in the woods to wait for the next bus two days later. Along the night, Kiko's "uncle" arrives with his friends and the group discloses the sinister intentions of the newcomers.

When "Turistas" was released, there was a huge campaign in Brazil to boycott this movie because it showed a bad, distorted and stereotyped image of Brazil. I have just seen this film on DVD, I am Brazilian, and I totally disagree with this position. First of all, "Turistas" is fictional, based on the urban legend or reality of traffic of human organs, and the story takes place in Brazil the same way this theme is approached in London in Stephen Frears's "Dirty Pretty Things" or the violent "Hostel" is in Slovakia. Second, director John Stockwell seems to be absolutely familiarized with the usual behavior of simple people from the Northeastern of Brazil and the way of thinking of average tourists. They give hospitality to tourists, they are friendly, they like to party and dance, the prices of food and lodging are very low, the bus drivers do not respect the traffic laws, even the use of drug to rob incautious tourists, therefore he discloses the reality in a magnificent landscape. Further, there are many funny lines in Portuguese. The sinister theme has a good and logical approach and the performances are great and realistic, only the conclusion is weak in the plot. Of course the fate of the backpackers is fictional and the possibility of an incident like this happen is practically null. Welcome to Brazil, actually a nice place to be visited. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Turistas" ("Tourists")