Had "Taxi" been made in recent years it'd be considered tasteless or grotesque to be shown even though it could be seen or viewed as a realistic view on the
use of violence by group of extremists and their hatred on minorities. A brutal reality through the ages and ever outgrowing in the past couple of decades with a
new rise of extremism, right-wingers and fascists. In the 1990's, back when Carlos Saura made this movie, it was already a case of concern and many artists felt
the need to present to audiences what was going on at the time, and most of the stories presented were relevant, full of impact and it allowed a whole debate
about society and tolerance. "Taxi" succeeds in being a good movie using of such themes even though it's more of a brutal backstory as an unconventional love
story is at center stage.
The film follows the young Paz (Ingrid Rubio), a college girl with many difficulties with her studies that she returns home and end up being forced to
work with her father (Ángel de Andrés López), driving a taxi cab. But what this taxi company does is a lot more than just providing driving services; at night their
group named as "The Family", mostly they are friends, relative and acquaintaces, they eliminate minority groups based on race, sexuality or nationality and everything they consider as
problematic. While she gets used
to the job and little by little discover about the veterans activities she reconnects with Dani (Carlos Fuentes), a childhood friend and also a new driver at the
company, and to make matters worse, he's initiated in the group and starts his first attacks on minorities. Is there a way for such love to grow when she learns
about such fact? Will she find ways to destroy this extreme hateful group without losing her father or her new love? Challenging issues, indeed.
While the movie has a nice rhythm, pacing and a fine structure in presenting a thrilling sequence of events (though the romance interrupts everything whenever
the tragedy is happening), the film fails a little in creating belieavable scenarios, specially when it comes to the violent attacks and killings all the way through.
Their modus operandi of conducting things are hard to believe - like those bridge scenes where they throw people away - are we supposed to be believe that with a
heavy traffic no one would suspect a great movement of taxis on the driveway, neither a police car coming by? And also their attack, with a heavier group of people,
on the barracks of foreigners. It's quite a community down there, it's not just a couple of shacks under a bridge yet they simple set fire on everything and beat people
up on a hurried manner.
Yet Mr. Saura's film makes strong and believable motifs for the group and there's a sort of reasoning behind the usual extremists racist views
since there's also a quest of revenge when one of their colleagues was attacked by a minority group and was left paralyzed so they feel inclined to act upon those
groups, in a way to evoke the fascist sentiment brought on by the days of Franco regime, those taxi drivers are all nostalgic about it. Not saying that those men
have the right to do what they do, it's a way to say they feel that there's motive for the attacks, and as in politics the tool of fear is more important than of hope,
they act based on that fear, that repulsion for marginalized groups or people who aren't exactly like them.
It wasn't so brutal or extremely shocking as one would hope with a movie dealing with such themes (though it has some impressive disturbing scenes) but one must also
consider that this main core of the story is actually put on the background since the toubled romance between Paz and Dani seems to be more on the surface than the killings
and the brutality. It's not completely troublesome but it affects the movie a bit since we follow too much of the girl, without actually knowing how come she is so different
than everybody in her family and those group of people - possible the college was an influence good enough to present a wider view of the world and she embraces
everyone, all colors and creeds but it wasn't so interesting enough to make her an applied student. As for Dani, he's an easily influenced guy who might have a
decent future as a military yet he end up becoming too deep with The Family and it's a no way back for him. But we follow them with great interest, a lot more than
those dark frowned old men.
And we have an amazing performance by Eusebio Lázaro as The Family leader, whenever he was on screen it was difficult to not pay attention to him, with his cold
face that slightly changes here and there in subtle moves (the scene where he gives a gift to Paz, and he was about to hear Dani revealing a secret to Paz). I liked his
performance, the best in the show. Another great highpoint comes from the cinematography by Vittorio Storario, showing a great night view of Madrid.
On an ultimate question: does the movie raises important issues that still needs to be addressed? Yes. Does it make it controversial? Yes. Was it great enough
to generate a debate on the topics dealt? Not so much. Compared to many similar works from all around the globe, this one is quite forgettable. Not of Saura's most
noble efforts, since it lacks of a deeper criticism or a deeper analysis on extremist movements but still worthy of view with some good intense drama and some thrills as well. 8/10.
