Noteworthy as Chile’s first ever martial arts movie, KILTRO is a very appealing South American pastiche of vintage Spaghetti westerns, energetically styled as a vehicle for renowned stuntman Marko Zaror, an action star in the making. Zaror and director Ernesto Piaz Espinoza have already reteamed for MIRAGEMAN, a revisionist superhero adventure that, if KILTRO is anything to go by, will be one to look for when it eventually makes its way to our part of the world.
Zaror is Zamir, a well-meaning street fighter whose only, self-imposed mission in life is to protect ultra-pretty Korean schoolgirl Kim (Caterina Jadresic – even her eyebrows are sexy!), whom he once saved from a potential rape on the streets. Zamir is an endearingly sensitive tough guy – his mum can still make him cry, and he really lurves Kim, but his buddies try unsuccessfully to hook him up and she is tired of him beating up anyone who comes near her.
Kim’s father runs the local Tae Kwon Do school and has a dark history with the film’s vengeful central villain, Max Kalba (Miguel Angel De Luca), a guy with a Serious Beard, a sinister long button-up black coat and a lethal, ever-poised cane. He’s so evil he could probably curdle milk from twenty paces and stun a healthy cat into unconsciousness with one mean stare. Max massacres the Tae Kwon Do class’ membership, beats the shit out of Zamir and captures Kim’s dad. Zamir sets out to write wrongs, getting help along the way from Jose Soto (Alejandro Castillo), a washed-up drunk and one time wise swordsman.
The classic westerns of Sergio Leone are a clear and prominent influence on KILTRO, from the use of close-ups to the eccentric secondary characters and the central vengeance themes. Max Kalba’s big entrance scene quotes directly from Henry Fonda’s unforgettably majestic first appearance in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, while the score riffs delightfully on Ennio Morricone’s patented style, with several soundtrack cues almost identical to key themes from WEST. Long term James Bond movie fans will also get a kick out of the movie’s appropriation of key character names from old 007 flicks.
Pastiche aside, this colorfully shot movie makes up for what it lacks in production value with exuberant action sequences and charismatic performances. Espinoza’s style breezily combines retro-80’s training / tooling up montages with Takashi Miike-influenced viscera. In the latter camp, splatter fans will appreciate the (CG assisted) OTT death scenes, open wounds and even an ICHI THE KILLER-like set piece of a character gruesomely suspended from hooks. The final confrontation is suitably dynamic, though KILTRO’s show-stopper involves our hero single-handedly taking on a street full of armed goons, complete with resplendent arterial spray at every turn and cartoonish dual beheadings.
In fairly dry time for old-school action flicks, this unashamedly corny but sometimes knowingly funny movie is a lot of fun.
-Steven West
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
