Powder Keg (2001)

In the fifth of the BMW short films call The Hire, The Driver is sent into Columbia to recover a wounded war photographer and pull him out of the country. The photographer laments his role as observer across war after war, looking to the few rolls of film he has of a massacre as being perhaps a way he can do good.The subject matter here is a real odd choice and it is all the odder when you view it in the context of the other short films in this series which are glossy and sleek generally. With this one though the filming is grainy and the focus is less on the vehicle and more on the dialogue between the two men – again, an odd thing for a film funded by BMW, but here we are. I was actually very open to the idea of something more than just another car chase short film, so I didn't have a problem with it in terms of its concept, just its delivery. You see there isn't anywhere near the grit that this suggests and it feels like it is "doing" gritty rather than being that way by natural of extension of what it is doing and what it is covering.This shows once the characters start interacting. The photographer's lamentations are fairly standard things and they are sturdy rather than natural in the writing. His dialogue is made worse though by the even clunkier lines delivered by the Driver, the worse by far being "but Mr Jacobs your photographs have done a lot of good" or something like that – with that line you could see Owen had no idea how to say it and make it work. The short also comes over as being hollow because really it doesn't have much to say at all on the world it is set in, which adds to the feeling of the dialogue being empty which then feeds back onto the film as a whole to make it seem like it is just wearing the clothes of concern for the sake of a short film.The most surprising thing then is that it was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, a director on the rise at the time after Amores Perros. He directs it like it is insightful, brave and challenging but this approach is totally at odds with the clunky nature of the script (such as the thing with the mother at the end) and the fact that the central thing about the short is selling a high-end luxury car. The latter point (about the commercial) I can swallow to a point, but it is the failure to deliver a story that doesn't feel hollow that really hurts me. It hurts the cast too. Skarsgård rolls in his own blood and laments his life of observation the best he can, but he is alone in the core of the film; Owen has a much harder job and he looks uncomfortable and cannot make even the smallest lines work.I applaud the BMW funders for trying to make some of their short films be "about" something and for not just making glossy action shorts (although they made those too!) but this film just doesn't work at all. Viewed on its own it is clunky, overly well-meaning and labours throughout its short run-time; however viewed alongside the other shorts, it stands out as odd all the more and frankly doesn't fit in with the overall concept of the films. I wanted it to work because it is the most "worthy" of the shorts, but to be honest the best I can say about it is that it "meant well".

This short film occurs in January 13, 2001, where a Times war photographer -Harvey Jacobs (Stellan Skarsgård)- is wounded while witnessing a massacre at Nuevo Colon by terrorists. In a desperate effort, the United Nations sends a vehicle to get him out, a BMW driven by Clive Owen.This film, in comparison to any other film of the Hire series is possibly the best. The mark of Alejandro González Iñárritu is without contest the deepest one I've seen to date. It can't be denied that every second of the films matters in one way or another, either it is the feel of the environment, characters or even the state of mind. But since I'm a fan of his work I think I might be a little biased.The real hero of the film is actually the photographer's mother (Lois Smith) who really made a spectacular performance. I've seen the film about five times and I am still touched by her performance. Great Film 9/10

Let me say first thanks to BMW. Though the original idea for The Hire movie series was inspired by commercial purposes (of course, they must sell cars), all movies are oriented to a real artistical approach more than to a market strategy. It's not just a matter of publicity... well done! This short by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu is the best of the series. Alejandro is clearly one among the most talented directors of the new generation. His own powerful and dramatic way of shooting gives no way to compromises. Alejandro's language is made of cold lights, cameras never standing still, zooming and moving like it was a video reporter filming a battle. Take a look to his first (and of course, awarded and successful) movie Amores Perros and you will understand what I mean. Hope he will never give up his style for easier ways to make money. Great!!!

Perhaps there are people who would disdain the grainy look of this film, or hate the jumpy camera work. I, for one, think that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is a genius. You really have to appreciate his film making. Amores Perros is a must see for those of you who haven't seen it yet, and Powder Keg is no exception either. This film focuses much more on emotions and injustices in Central and South America, and really lays the drama on in the end. Brilliant work. I'm glad that BMW did this series, perhaps they will see fit to release it on DVD, that would be excellent.