Pedro Páramo

A tale of ghosts and memories that slips through time, [Pedro Páramo] follows the structure of Juan Rulfo’s 1955 text with stringent fidelity, laying the groundwork for a melancholic (if imbalanced) adaptation that finds visual splendor in the macabre.

An alluring ghost story full of visual intrigue and surrealist imagery, giving him the space to showcase his strengths while working out some of the storytelling mechanics.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but at over two hours, this visual adaptation of Rulfo’s only novel rambles without much to say.

Strangely, given Prieto’s visual acumen, the film is also a bit bland visually... But the story has enough residual power to deliver a dark night of the Mexican soul nonetheless.

As “Pedro Páramo” veers all over the place, uniting the good and the evil in a strange dance of life and death, there’s not much to do except relax and immerse yourself in Prieto’s curious vision.

Even when the storytelling falls short, Pedro Páramo never fails to offer up ideas worth pondering. The theme of forgiveness unsurprisingly looms heavily over the film, which oozes Catholicism from every frame.

Even the most respected literary works don't always translate well to screen, and this is an example of a very challenging adaptation.

While the new adaptation of the novel does not feel ready-made, it is mechanical, with a lustrous color that makes one miss the anthropological mystery of Rulfo's photographic legacy and his Rolleiflex camera... [Full review in Spanish]

Rodrigo Prieto's directorial debut may not be a masterpiece, but it is the best version to date of Juan Rulfo's complicated and memorable novel. [Full review in Spanish]

In its attempt to remain as faithful as possible to the text of the beloved classic novel, some of its major themes get lost in its translation to the big screen. [Full Review in Spanish]