What if luck could be traded or stolen? That's the absorbing premise of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's enigmatic thriller Intacto. One of those rare films that unfolds in new directions as you watch it, Intacto is based around a select band who have the ability to maximise their fortune and use it in elaborate games of chance. The most powerful is Samuel (von Sydow), a Holocaust survivor who has never been bested. Since he only plays for the highest possible stakes, challengers are rare. Samuel's protege Frederico (Poncela) arrogantly dismisses the old man, but is stripped of his ability. Banished from Samuel's home, Frederico goes in search of another with the ability, in order to exact his revenge on his former mentor. Happening across plane crash survivor Tomas (Sbaraglia), Frederico teaches him how to exploit his gift.
Dark and moodily involving, Intacto is a stylish, extremely well rendered thriller, with a burst of originality, rarely seen in mainstream thrillers. Some may find the film difficult to warm to as the characters are all so aloof and unsympathetic. But as wilfully obscure as it sometimes is, Intacto ultimately triumphs thanks to the sheer audacity of its premise and the weight of the philosophical questions that the director ponders. Be patient and you'll be rewarded.
