Zama

Name: Zama
Genre: Drama
Released: April 13, 2018
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Carlos Defeo, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Daniel Veronese, Jorge Román, Juan Minujín

2018

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 40 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 40 Ratings

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Zama (US Trailer)

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: April 13, 2018 | Not Rated

Starring: Carlos Defeo, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Daniel Veronese, Jorge Román, Juan Minujín, Lola Dueñas, Mariana Nunes, Matheus Nachtergaele, Nahuel Cano, Rafael Spregelburd

Summary: Zama, an officer of the Spanish Crown born in South America, waits for a letter from the King granting him a transfer from the town in which he is stagnating, to a better place. His situation is delicate. He must ensure that nothing overshadows his transfer. He is forced to accept submissively every task entrusted to him by successiveZama, an officer of the Spanish Crown born in South America, waits for a letter from the King granting him a transfer from the town in which he is stagnating, to a better place. His situation is delicate. He must ensure that nothing overshadows his transfer. He is forced to accept submissively every task entrusted to him by successive Governors who come and go as he stays behind. The years go by and the letter from the King never arrives. When Zama notices everything is lost, he joins a party of soldiers that go after a dangerous bandit. [Strand Releasing]… Expand

Director: Lucrecia Martel

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 115 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

The Guardian Xan Brooks

[Martel's] film is haunted, haunting and admittedly prone to the occasional longueur insofar as it runs to its own peculiar rhythm; maybe even its own primal logic. Read full review

100

RogerEbert.com Glenn Kenny

Apr 13, 2018

Ms. Martel’s attention to period detail is impeccable without being show-offish about it. But Zama is not the kind of period piece that aims for suspension of disbelief. Read full review

100

Ty Burr

Jul 4, 2018

The final shots are both majestic and damning, and they lift the film with a kind of gentle contempt into a surrealism that makes an awful kind of sense, the world in its lushness swallowing Zama as it will swallow us all. Some movies unfold as dreams; Zama dances us playfully toward the edge of nightmare and then asks us to open our eyes. Read full review

Josh Larsen

Jul 25, 2018

With Zama, Martel no longer hints at that past, but actively exhumes it, unleashing ghosts in the process. Read full review

A.A. Dowd

In its own befuddling, bone-dry way, this is a comedy—one that takes fiendish pleasure in puncturing the pomp and circumstance of a cog in the empire-building machine. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Apr 20, 2018

The film’s languorous, tangential flow isn’t for everyone, but you’ll be surprised by how easily you can roll with it, especially if you tune into Zama’s cringe-funny frequency. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Apr 25, 2018

All this makes Zama interesting and unique and something to be respected. But none of this translates into anything resembling a satisfying narrative or even entertainment as we know it. Still, as bleak experiments go, Zama is the real thing. Read full review

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User Reviews

GregorIX

Jun 26, 2018

La excelente película de Lucrecia Martel construye histórica, aunque no historologicamente, un pasado inexistente en el inconsciente colectivo latinoamericano. Así como es fácil de ejemplificar como Europa tiene sus grandes películas que permiten reconstruir, aun así mágicamente, desde laLa excelente película de Lucrecia Martel construye histórica, aunque no historologicamente, un pasado inexistente en el inconsciente colectivo latinoamericano. Así como es fácil de ejemplificar como Europa tiene sus grandes películas que permiten reconstruir, aun así mágicamente, desde la Antigüedad a la Edad Moderna; Martel crea imágenes sobre una tierra casi virgen: el espacio-tiempo del Virreinato. La película no se toma licencias históricas, sino que escribe la historia, le crea un tono, personajes y sonidos posibles.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

OlivierPiel

Jun 5, 2020

Completely overrated film, a total bore with zero cinematographic qualities. It is an adaptation of an apparently famous Argentinian novel and that shows because the dialogue scenes seem completely out of place with the action. It tries so hard to make a point through hammy surrealisticCompletely overrated film, a total bore with zero cinematographic qualities. It is an adaptation of an apparently famous Argentinian novel and that shows because the dialogue scenes seem completely out of place with the action. It tries so hard to make a point through hammy surrealistic scenes, it's pathetic. I guess not every "director" is a Tarkovsky or a Terrence Malik. It is a sad example of arty farty left-wing nonsense that is mired in platitutes about colonialism and white guilt. The exotic setting and preachy topic makes it a darling with snobbish critics of course.… Expand

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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