Mancora (2008) User Reviews

Unsettling

[dkmountainpark · 6/10 · 8 June 2008]

If I had viewed this in my 20's/30's I probably would given higher marks than now. The bohemianism, sexuality, beautiful faces and bodies, scenery and drugging would have been stimulating and enthralling. I notice that the under thirty crowd almost unanimously rates this a 10 and the over 30 rates it 6 or less.

I agree wholeheartedly with the Sundance Film Festival's review of this film. I left the theater underwhelmed. As one mellows, this kind of film appears frightening instead of exciting. It reminds one of all the near misses in this period of life, the drug trips that almost or did go bad, the effect of too much "intimacy". It is appealing that this film shows that Xime and Santi appear to come out okay on the other end (as they are basically good people), but still kind of portrays a fairy tale ending which is probably not really in sync with reality.

While there are some that have lived these lives and come out okay on the other end, there are seemingly many more who don't seem to recover from the detritus of these kinds of experiences. This film seems to glamorize this lifestyle which is my main objection to this film. I don't think it is accurate and no matter how you slice it, a brother is a brother (whether he is "step" or not.). Sleeping with your step-brother is just not cool. However, it is cinema, so I guess one should leave it at that.

Mildly interesting

[grantss · 5/10 · 12 May 2020]

Mildly interesting. Sets itself up for a solid message but doesn't quite deliver in this regard. Ending feels a bit flat. The journey is OK though.

... to live free and unbound by life

[bjarias · 6/10 · 19 December 2023]

... Mancora an oceanfront location around eighteen hour drive north of super-crowded-busy Lima, Peru... beautiful waters-beaches sure to this day filled with young beautiful people... as both Elsa Pataky and Jason Day are very beautiful people... and pretty much the main reasons to be watching this movie

... she was thirty-two years old at the time of this film, and surely now in her late forties married with children remains a gorgeous-desirable-woman

... the why of the movie is just reveling in youth.. older we get we remember-cherish-days when that young to never have thoughts of being old... wonderful.

It was OK

[daniela11 · 4/10 · 20 January 2023]

Máncora is a beach in the north of Peru, the films that come out of that country usually operate in cities like Lima or Cuzco, which is why I was surprised by the location on the aforementioned coastal beach.

Although it is a simple and easy story to carry (the runnning time is not too heavy), the film does not comply with giving a clear message nor does it give a final purpose to its protagonists and history; great scenery and production value, the performances were good although the personalities as well as the dialogues of some characters become very clichéd and repetitive.

Peruvian cinema no longer usually surprises with the plots of its films, but Máncora was undoubtedly the exception. 4/10.

A sultry and attractive movie

[hamid-r-goodarzi · 5 January 2023]

A movie from Peruvian cinema with the attractions of culture and anthropology and their life has formed a warm and good movie. This film is a road trip drama that causes changes in the characters of the film. The film opens with Santiago being thrown into the sea after being beaten, and the return to the same starting point is used well in the rest of the film. The cinematography and music of the film is wonderful, but the film has shortcomings in the script. Santiago's monologues at the end of the film seriously damage the filmand brings the film to the surface . The end credits music is great, but I didn't understand the music that follows it, and I think it comes from the carelessness of the director. These things will reduce the evaluation of the film, while the film could have been more successful in the evaluation.