Sombras Chinas goes even further with having the whole story presented in slim-screen, so that it can fill up your whole phone. While limited in scope, Baz’s frame choice does increase both the intimacy and the immediacy of the images. It also instantly gives the illusion of reality to the story, which in itself is about the illusion of reality.
There are a few key times that Baz pulls back the veil of the online fronts to reveal how orchestrated everything “real” onscreen is. It adds layers in the most surprising places, as Baz’s masterful presentation of superficiality runs deep in reflective meaning. But most of all, it feels like a real movie, even if it is all inside a phone.
It is a pot boiler, but all that means is it runs hot and stays there for cost-effective thrills. Sombras Chinas is also juicy to the point of needing to be watched with a bib. Baz then wisely builds a narrative that has the same addictive allure as the format it is imitating.
“While limited in scope, Baz’s frame choice does increase both the intimacy and the immediacy of the images.”
While obviously no frills, the drama Baz whips up is instantly addictive. There is a perfect balance struck between keeping some story elements predictable while completely hiding others for big reveals. Allowing the viewer this level of inside knowledge keeps the tensions high without ever losing momentum or engagement.
Sometimes knowing better than the main character works better, especially in a thriller scenario like this. What impressed me the most was how the filmmaker knows exactly when to break the rules in the right way. First is his adding composer Nicolas Frontimpe’s electronic score to some of the videos to set the mood of the scene.
This manipulation of tone with sound that does not exist in the story is both simple and amazing. It is something that is totally not allowed, and it totally works brilliantly. There are also impossible pieces of footage that film behind the fourth wall of the story, but once again, it works so well that it gets a pass.
Del Zotto does a great job of holding down a huge lead role, giving her rendition a pinch of satire but really breathing life into this character. Sombras Chinas is a frame format pioneer that bristles with pulp intensity while keeping it entertaining. It’s a stand-up feature, pun intended.
"…knows exactly when to break the rules in the right way. "
