TomHorn76

It's always refreshing to see a film from Italy that is close to the genre and not set in the mafia milieu. At first glance, Mondocane with its slight SF and end-time flair seems a welcome change. At least until you realize that this story of two friends falling out over moral differences has been seen many times before. And that this topos is also often used in mafia films. The world in which Mondocane takes place is said to be in an indefinite but near future. The script keeps a low profile in terms of dates and developments. It establishes no narrative, reveals no context, only snippets of it. Anyway, too many questions remain unanswered as to how this microcosm in Taranto actually works. If the setting doesn't give much, the main focus is automatically on the characters. As already noted, the story about Pietro and Christian develops archetypally. Technically, however, the makers can hardly be accused of anything. The staging, like the narration, is very tight. Camera work and image design are extremely pleasing. In the end, Mondocane offers a rather pleasant, if uninspiring, passing two hours of film. The only thing missing is a bit the salt in the soup.