Catalan director Jo Sol shows a deep respect for the story he is telling, and through an arthouse perspective, he explores the legend of Armugan in the remote valley of Aragonese Pyrenees. He introduces the characters that goes beyond any dialogue, and that can only be expressed through those landscapes. Well, how seriously can you take a story that revolves around death, morals of euthanasia and a grim reaper with physical limitations. On the surface, it is a drama that not only gets under your skin visually, but also plays itself deep into the consciousness. For some it may sound like an arthouse sci-fi drama, but the story intertwines so many topics in a cinematic labyrinth filled with unconventional scenes, fairytale-like film and beyond the mythopoetic imagery. Do not expect a lot of on-screen dramatics and fantasy, expect lot of emotion that is quite smart and humane.
Even as a cinematic journey into nothingness, "Armugan" is a depressing existential journey. But Jo Sol creates an additional element of uncertainty with more questions than answers to understand death as part of life. But what makes the film so interesting is the uncanny atmosphere and the irony with which the Sol proceeded here is daring. He lets the quietness to do the talking induced with fear, anxiety, despair, and everything else with enormous honesty. I also compared few scenes in the film to Ciro Guerra's Wandering Shadows (2004), it is also reminiscent of Shohei Imamura's masterpiece The Ballad of Narayama (1983).
Overall, anyone who engages in the meditative rhythm will be rewarded with a film experience that impresses with its metaphorical storytelling.
