directed by:
Pablo Guillen written by: Pablo Guillen genre: Drama |
Set in 1826? Did they make people way back then? The things you learn from watching movies, I tell ya! Not only were there people, but it turns out life was pretty damn hard way back then without all the smartwatches and microwaves we have today. Even as “Bajo La Tierra” shifts its timeline to nineteen years later, they’re still making pottery by hand and using tiny hourglasses as their oven timers. Next time you take your big ol’ RV out ‘camping’ with all of your luxury items and portable dog spas, remember that there were a whole lot of people who came long before you that actually had to ‘rough it’ in ways that would make your pinkie toe curl up & fall off.
Alright. Enough kidding around here – “Bajo La Tierra” is a decent film, and it is actually quite serious. To the point where it will likely make you a little uncomfortable. While I was joking around about the lack of modern conveniences way back in the olden days, the reality is that things were extremely hard for our ancestors as they tried to settle into what we’ve now come to know as ‘society.’ An injury could be catastrophic and possibly something that might not be survivable. Infections would be common in open wounds, medical treatment scarce and inadequate – I mean, you had to be careful just moving around back then, lest you end up experiencing dire consequences. When we meet Alma for the very first time in “Bajo La Tierra,” she’s an ambitious young girl who has set her sights on bigger things for herself & her family. She wants to find a way to become rich and move with her mom to a better place, though from the outside looking in, you get the sense that Alma is already living the simple life many of us can only dream about. She’s not paying bills. She’s got her mom with her. She’s got a beautiful garden. Their house might be tiny, but it looks like she’s living in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. From her mom’s perspective, which is arguably a wiser one than young Alma possesses, she’s already got everything she could ever need & a life well worth living. That’s the thing, though, ain’t it? The majority of us do have everything we need – but need is so much different from the definition of wants and desires. We’re born with the notion that we could have more or be more than we are, which, to be honest, is one of the qualities of being human that makes the whole experience very strange. From the time we can think, we already feel like we’re somehow behind the eight ball and need to get things moving, as opposed to being able to simply appreciate life as it is and enjoy our short time here on Earth. It’s distressing and depressing if you think about it too much, and I suppose, in a way, we should be somewhat thankful that we’re all so busy all the time that we can’t focus on the fact that we’re always working and doing things, like the little worker bees we are. The point is that we don’t often take the time we should to appreciate what we have, and when we’re not doing that, what we cherish most, whether it is people, places, or things, can slip away from us entirely. These are concepts that are loosely touched on within the context of Writer/Director Pablo Guillen’s “Bajo La Tierra” – some of it is implied, while the heaviest lessons & messages are much more upfront. At the heart of it all, we’re being told a tale well in its aftermath, and you’ll soon learn that “Bajo La Tierra” is actually a ghost story of sorts. You get Alma’s backstory, you’ll learn what happens to her mom, and in general, Guillen does an excellent job of reminding us all that we should spend the extra time we have with the ones we love, because one day, that’s no longer be an option.
As far as the timeline goes, Guillen advances things early on in a pronounced way, then decides to let the next jump be more implied than completely spelled out for us, which I like. While I suspect that a whole lot of this story should have probably been set a bit further into the future than it is, it still works. A lot of what Alma learns along the way, we’re learning at the same time that she is, which is an effective way to approach storytelling and one that generally leads to more surprises on the viewing end of things. For the most part, I feel like “Bajo La Tierra” tells a cohesive tale, and I find it both entertaining & intriguing to watch. As a director, I felt like Guillen’s work was really strong here overall, even if it remains the case that a short film could almost always use a couple extra minutes to make things even more clear. I do think there’s an element of wondering what this story is really trying to say at the heart of it all, but I also think that because it’s kind of left up to us to decide what that might be, there’s an extra layer of critical thinking that comes along with watching “Bajo La Tierra.” Is it as simple and straightforward as just being a ghost story? Are we really supposed to learn a moral lesson from watching this film? Are we all tied to the dirt beneath our feet and foundations, forevermore and throughout eternity? These are all valid questions that could have a real variety of different answers. Whereas I chose to see “Bajo La Tierra” as more of a story about the bonds of family and the effects of time, other viewers might end up seeing this through a totally different lens. The supernatural element to “Bajo La Tierra,” for example…I don’t know if I was fully convinced that was entirely necessary to tell a story like this one, but I wasn’t opposed to it either. Like, in my opinion, if you took the supernatural element of this tale right out, you’d be left with a potent & thought-provoking Drama, and it still would have worked well…in fact, the main points surrounding how we prioritize and value our time together might have even made more of an impact in that regard. Still, the ghostly twist that Guillen adds to this film ends up feeling welcome and adds an ounce of fun to what would have otherwise been a fairly bleak story…and I guess, ultimately, I’d assume that viewers will appreciate that. “Bajo La Tierra” is serious, but not so serious that you feel the constant weight of a heavy Drama, and that’s likely a direct result of Guillen choosing to add that supernatural element to the storyline. If we’re talking about what makes the biggest impact on us as viewers, I’m still going to side with the dramatic details providing the most memorable moments. I ain’t opposed to a solid ghost story, which this goes on to prove to be in many ways, but I do think it’s the more tangible & relatable aspects of “Bajo La Tierra” that hit home the hardest. You might just end up calling up all of your loved ones and filling your calendar with visits after watching this short film, and if that’s the case, I think you got the most out of what this is truly all about. The acting is spot-on by the entire cast, which is quite small, but they all do a flawless job with the material. Susana Boyce, in particular, is absolutely stellar as Alma, and she pretty much carries the bulk of this film firmly on her shoulders in the majority of scenes. I think, if anything, I might have wanted a bit more of a clear purpose from Guillen in the writing of “Bajo La Tierra” – like, it’s enjoyable, don’t get me wrong – but you start to wonder why this specific story was the one he chose to write and direct. It’s not as if you get to the end of “Bajo La Tierra” and it adds anything further to what you assumed the ending would be, so much as it confirms where you thought it would go & wraps up the story concisely. Ultimately, there really isn’t anything wrong with that either…it’s kinda nice to know where the end is going to be and see a film get to where it’s supposed to go, even if that’s a bit more predictable. I’m going with three and a half stars outta five here – it’s not really groundbreaking, but it is a good watch. |
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