A Review of Luis Ortega's "El Angel"

With a relatively small catalogue of films to his name, Luis Ortega gives an exciting recreation of the crimes committed by young thief turned serial killer, Carlos Robledo Puch, in his film El Angel. With the help of an excellent performance by young actor Lorenzo Ferrero, Ortega manages to create a fun and enjoyable true crime adaptation given the gravity and violence present throughout the film. 

We are first introduced to Carlos (portrayed by Lorenzo Ferrero), also known as “Carlitos”, in 1971 in Buenos Aires as he calmly breaks into a house in what appears to be a wealthy, suburban neighborhood. Rather than frantically searching for something to steal, Carlos walks through the house and simply puts on a record. He begins to dance. He steals only what he wants and casually escapes the scene of the crime on the homeowner’s motorcycle. It is at this moment that you get a sense that Carlos has absolute freedom in his decisions and actions.

This freedom shines through when we first meet Ramon (played by Chino Darin) as Carlos provokes a fight with him by doing as he pleases. Despite their initial differences, Carlos and Ramon become close friends and we are taken on a ride through the numerous crimes that the pair commits together. Carlos evades questioning from his own parents and sexual advances from Ramon’s mother, all while Ramon’s father acts like a shepherd guiding the duo through their initial petty crimes. As the film progresses, the stakes become more severe with Carlos starting to murder the people that they rob.

The 11 murders and 42 robberies that Carlos Robledo Puch committed give Ortega numerous different avenues to work with in terms of content; however, it is less about the plot of the film and more so the stylistic execution that make this film so enjoyable. The stylistic decisions associated with El Angel accompany the heavy topic to create a film that leaves an impact without taking itself too seriously. Though sometimes, it’s the lack of seriousness that leaves the audience wanting more when everything is said and done.

It’s more style than substance for the most part when it comes to El Angel. While the characters and plot are interesting enough hold your attention for a while, it’s the bold style that pulls you into Carlos’ world. The attention to aesthetic detail with the cool clothing, vintage cars, and retro houses make watching the film an intensely visual experience that immerses the audience in 1970’s Buenos Aires. Even when violence is portrayed it’s very easily digestible and seems purposely overly dramatized to further the film’s pleasing aesthetic style.

Even though aesthetic detail is the staple of the film, the sound is deeply woven with the visuals to create a complete experience for the audience. The soundtrack is a collection Spanish version 1970’s classic rock songs that seem to be a manifestation of the relaxed, uncaring nature of Carlos. Particularly, the version of “The House of the Rising Sun” near the climax of the film and the acting of Ferrero in the moment come together to create near perfection. The movement of sound from diegetic to non-diegetic and visa verse is nothing new to film, but it also feels fresh in El Angel.

In terms of his performance, Lorenzo Ferrero manages to strike a delicate balance of extreme arrogance and believability. No matter how appalling the crimes of Carlos may be, the audience still finds a way to cheer him on because of the charming nature of the performance. As likeable as Carlos is in the film, Ferrero never seems to be trying too hard to sell the audience on the character, which only helps with believability. It’s also beneficial that the actor is a nearly identical match to the real Puch during his murderous peak. 

The film isn’t perfect by any means though. The stylistic aspects that are so enjoyable also seem to be part the film’s major shortcoming. With such heavy reliance on flashiness, the 120-minute length of the film seems unjustified. It could’ve been condensed and still gotten much of the information to reach the audience. By the end of the film, it grew tiring to see the same visual conventions hold together a story that was lacking in content development.

This lack of substance is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the film after the initial murder. There is definitely some substance there, but it’s unsatisfying and leaves the audience craving more information. Ortega only hints at Carlos’ sexual ambiguity and motivations for murder, but drops them and leaves them relatively unexplored. Merely scratching the surface of Carlos’ sociopathic tendencies doesn’t do enough to create a rewarding experience in terms of plot.

While stylistic conventions may be able to entertain an audience for a period of time, it can’t do all the legwork on its own. There must be something more. Despite the numerous issues with the film, I thought it was fantastic due to the fact that Ortega understands what the film is meant to be. Ortega may have not have capitalized on a lot of story’s potential, but El Angel stays true to itself and remains fun and entertaining throughout.

Cast: Lorenzo Ferrero, Chino Darin, Mercedes Moran, Cecilia Roth, Daniel Fanego, Luis Gnecco, Peter Lanzani

Director: Luis Ortega

Screenwriters: Luis Ortega, Rodolfo Palacios, Sergio Olguin

Producers: Pedro Almodovar, Agustín Almodovar, Hugo Sigman, Sebastian Ortega, Matias Mosteirin, Esther Garcia, Leticia Cristi, Axel Kushevatsky, Pablo Culell

Cinematographer: Julian Apezteguia

Editor: Guille Gatti

120 Minutes