Tod in den Augen

This movie is a visual treat; set in Slovenia with scenes of rural gypsy life constructed in exquisite detail it appears. Claire Forlani's beautiful, expressive and subtle face is ever present and she provides the most plausible character in the piece. Perhaps just a little too soft and scrubbed but it worked for me. (One day someone will write the part this actress deserves to play.)

Some of the scenes hold strong intensity of mood and atmosphere but sadly this is patchy because other scenes simply display banal directing. The plot follows a well worn Hollywood genre romance/thriller story line but leaves major links in the plot simply missing. I suspect that budget constraints simply cut major story elements. The result is that while the first half holds the level of intensity, the plot then degenerates into banal predictability for anyone who is familiar with the genre.

Worth seeing for the atmosphere and what might have been.