We are what we are (2010) - Reviewed.

So it’s been out a few years now and I brought it on DVD well over a year ago, You know how it is, you buy a DVD or 5 then the one you really want to see goes on first the other 4 or so sit on your shelf, you buy some more, watch one of those and so is the life of a film collector! But what made me remember We are what we are is I saw a review the other day of the remake, yes the remake already, I swear they get quicker at remaking films these days, Anyway, I dug it out my collection, stuck it on and thought to myself after I had watched it “why the hell did I leave it sooo long!” Here’s my review……

The film opens with an old guy in a seemingly trance like state wondering along the street , He approaches a window of a shop and starts pointing at the scantily clad mannequins in the window and pressing his finger on the window appearing as he wants to touch them. The shop keeper duly moves him on. He wonders zombie like some more and starts to cough up blood, collapses to his knees spitting out more blood the keels over and dies. We get a great shot from above of him lying dead whilst paramedics quickly come along and carry him off followed by some cleaners mopping up the blood quickly and shoppers carrying on as if nothing has happened.

We see next to young brothers setting up a stall in a local market on which they are selling watches and offering repairs. A customer approaches and asks them where his watch is as it’s been nearly three weeks and his father still has his watch. One of the brothers takes exception to his attitude and sets upon the man giving him a beating. It appears he has a very violent temperament. The lady who runs the market finds out about this and bans them from the market. They take all their wares home and duly tell mother who flips out. It’s clear from the home and life style that they are borderline poverty stricken. Then enters their young sister in distraught and in tears and proceeds to break the news that their father has died, It turns out that he was the man we saw at the start of the movie.

So responsibility now falls on the oldest of the boys to take charge of the family and their lifestyle and he must carry on with what they call “The Ritual” It turns out that The Ritual basically involves them going out and kidnapping someone to take home and cannibalise! The two young boys set out to get a victim and they chose a group of young children playing under a bridge, this attempt fails miserably and they return home empty handed. Much to the annoyance of their totally psychopathic mother.  They try again, this time targeting the local red light district, the grab a prostitute beat her and stuff her in the boot. When they get home they tie her to a table at which point the mother comes down the stairs and sees who they have picked up and once again goes nuts. The reason she flips this time is that it turns out that her husband used to spend all his spare time with hookers and she hates them big time, she then does no less than smashes her head in with a long stick, then she gets the boys and her to drive back to the red light district and leave the body in open view of all the other hookers and screams “if you ever come near any of my family again this is what will happen to you.”

So, the oldest who it has to be said is the weakest out of the family tries is best but fails miserably at  being the head of the family, the hunt is on for a victim for The Ritual…..

It has been compared in feel to the original Let the right one in and I can see why. As I was watching it I had exactly the same feeling. The place where they live is run down, grim and no hope is anywhere. The police get on the case as well as two quite funny bumbling detectives; it does have all be it bizarre a sense of underlying humour. The 1^st half hour is a slow burn and character building but when it gets going it really gets going. The performances are top notch and I must say I was extremely surprised to see that it was only a 15 certificate in the UK. I can’t comment on the remake as I have yet to see it but needless to say this version is solid and a very high recommend.

9/10

Jonny T.