| Zack: Enfrentamiento Mortal | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joseph Lando |
| Produced by | Alex Fernandez |
| Starring |
|
| Edited by | Angel R. Nieves |
| Music by | Omar Cruz Cabrera |
Production company | Luminado Films |
| Distributed by | Puerto Rico Film Commission |
Release date | December 2, 2021 (Puerto Rico) |
Running time | 87 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States (Puerto Rico) |
| Language | Spanish |
Zack: Enfrentamiento Mortal (Spanish: Zack: Mortal Confrontation) is a Puerto Rican film directed and written by actor Joseph Lando.[2] Produced by Liberado Films and distributed by Puerto Rico Film Commission, it is Joseph Lando's first film since the debut of “Hercolobus 2: El Éxodo (Spanish: Hercolubus 2: The Exodus)” in 1999. The film is part of a collection of films produced by the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in an effort to promote the film industry in the island.[3]
Plot edit
The film starts with Zack, injured and with no memories, going to the train station, where he gets on a train and meets a woman with a black and purple tutu, named Mortibella. She posseses a poetic, goofy tone, and proceeds to explain that her name means that she is the 'beautiful death' ('Muerte Bella' in Spanish translates to 'Beautiful Death'). Then, '13', a gang leader with his face painted like a skull, appears on the train and him and Zack fight. 13 tells him that he wishes to obtain his 'diamond', an apricot-colored crystal that Zack doesn't realize he has until he gets off the train, fleeing from 13. He walks for a bit, then witnesses a pair of men assaulting a woman. Zack springs into action and saves the woman from the assault, when she later tells him her name is Viviana. Zack walks around again for a while, suddenly being held at gunpoint by one of 13's henchmen. He leads Zack to 13 and his gang, who demands Zack's diamond. Zack then challenges 13 to a fight, where he states that he must be left alone from now on if he wins. Zack then proceeds to beat two of 13's henchmen, before he runs from the same. Zack sees 13 chasing after him, and loses the gang when he enters a local theater, where he lays at the foot of a staircase and dozes off. After a while, he wakes up and hears sounds. He checks the stage, which is active and hosting a play based on Ancient Egypt.
Mortibella appears and pushes Zack onto the spotlight, briefly interrupting the play. She later pulls him back and, despite his angered reaction, tells him that she 'gave him a moment of fame'. She then leads him backstage and lays him on a sofa, as if they were to have sexual intercourse, when suddenly her face morphs into a skull, sucking Zack's soul. Before she finishes, Zack wakes up, and it was revealed that every moment from when he dozed off at the doorsteps onward was a dream. After he actually wakes up, he enters backstage and changes into a nun costume, hoping to hide from 13.
13 finds him, and proceeds to get handcuffed by Zack to a bench after a brief duel. Zack then escapes by pulling some passengers out of a taxi, while the driver is none other than Morfi, a comic relief character who owns a 1920s style taxi. They proceed to have a small conversation, when Zack alerts Morfi that they're being followed. While distracted when texting on his phone, Morfi hits a child with his car. Zack and Morfi rush him to a hospital, where Zack also gets treated for his injuries. When he recovers, he sees the child Morfi hit, thanking a man in a hospital bed for 'saving him'. While this man's face is obscured from Zack's view, he realizes the man laying on the bed is himself, after he sees the child phasing through him. Zack watches his body pass away, and he fades onto a black void. He suddenly sees himself in a strange, heavenly place, and sees a man sitting on a bench in the distance.
Zack approaches this man, who tells him that he has arrived in the "Spirit World" where he explains that 'all the stars contain life, and this life controls its own destiny'.
The man implies that the movie's events, from start to that moment, were Zack's experiences in the limbo, and that the strange 'crystal' he wielded was his soul, and that there are multiple parallel universes. His experiences were a test, and if he had given the crystal to 13, he would lose the test. This is due to the fact that, as shown earlier, Zack was involved in a car accident, where a driver was not paying attention and was about to hit a child when Zack intervened. This is the same child as earlier with Morfi and is probably the experience that built Zack's test.
The man then revives Zack and sends his soul back to Earth, giving him a special power that allowed him to travel to other universes. He wakes up, when it is revealed that Viviana is the doctor in charge of him. Zack advises her to not take a dark path when she returns from her dance class, as this scene takes place at the time when this happens, which is at the beginning of the movie. Shocked from how he knew, she went on with her day and, lo and behold, she was almost assaulted by the two men, when Zach used one of Morfi's taxis to save Viviana. Viviana gets on the taxi, and she and Zack kiss. Later, Zack gets on a train, where he can now see other souls. He meets with Mortibella, who is now aware of Zack's status, and reveals that 13 is her twin brother. The movie ends with the trio relaxing on the train, and it is made aware that Zack has obtained a very powerful ability.
Cast edit
- Joseph Lando as Zack: This character, being the protagonist, is driven by Joseph Lando’s martial art skills, as he has certifications[4] in multiple martial arts such as Jeet Kune Do and Muay Thai.
- Rosina Grosso as Mortibella: Rosina Grosso, known for her fame as a co-entretainer in the long-running Spanish-language television program Sábado Gigante, has had this character described as someone who gives a happy, positive twist in an otherwise dark and serious environment that is the movie’s setting. However, it is soon revealed that this is not the case, as she plays the role of death herself in the film, alongside 13. Her name is a combination of 'Muerte (Spanish: Death)' and 'Bella (Spanish: Beautiful)', meaning that her name's translation is 'Beaufitul Death' or 'Muerte Bella'.
- Blas “Sien” Díaz as 13: This character, posing as the antagonistic figure, is also experienced in the martial arts field, having trained with Joseph Lando for four months specifically for this film. He is a gang leader who wishes to steal Zack's diamond. At the end of the film, it is revealed that 13 is Mortibella's twin brother.
- Ingrid Marie Díaz as Viviana: Ingrid, who held the title of Miss Universe Puerto Rico in 2008, has had this character described as a love interest of sorts. She has multiple encounters with Zack throughout the film, and in the end she encounters Zack, kissing him.
- Jaime Irizarry as Morfi: A taxi driver, this character is seen as a goofy, uplifting addition to the cast. He has also been described as a social opposite to Zack, who is trying to uncover his past.
Production edit
The movie was produced by Alex Fernandez. Filmed in Puerto Rico in its entirety, it was recorded in 21 days. This film was also sponsored by the Comisión de Cine de Puerto Rico (Spanish: Puerto Rico Film Commission) and the Departamento de Desarollo Económico de Puerto Rico (Spanish: Puerto Rico Economic Development Department).
Music edit
The soundtrack was composed by Omar Cruz Cabrera, who was hired by Luminado Films to compose music for the film.
Release edit
The movie was released in Caribbean Cinemas on December 2nd, 2021 exclusively in Puerto Rico. It is planned for an international release later on, followed by a release on streaming services.
References edit
External links edit
Zack: Enfrentamiento Mortal at IMDb