Travelator is one of those movies that screams for a big-budget Hollywood remake. I'm not sure whether that was its sole purpose, yet it turned out to be a fine thriller painting its picture with limited yet powerful means. Although it contained a lot of commonplace and even prejudice they were all put to good use.
The main protagonist is a youngster living in Serbia earning his living as a "freelancer" in what is clearly the dark side of grey economy. In his spare time he excels in gaming, in particular first- person-shooters. After some consideration he accepted the job that should change his life for better and visit paradise on earth, as the new "employer" asserted.
As the movie would show, the main protagonist took literally the notion that Las Vegas is the place where dreams come true. Where would that lead him remains to be uncovered towards the finale.
What impressed me the most is that Travelator has a whole level of the story presumably invisible to the average viewer not versed with the part of the world where Serbia is located.
The main protagonist holds a Slovenian passport which allowed him to enter the US without a visa. I guess the concept of a visa is vague to a lot of Western viewers. He lives with his mother in a temporary housing for refugees, almost two decades after the wars that brought them there ended. His new "employer" looks rather low key, although his ties seem to reach all over the globe etc.
What worked well is how some aspects of life on both sides of the Atlantic are the same.
For example, the main protagonist's mother in Serbia clings to her faith in God because all other options proved useless. Manic street preachers in Las Vegas are fervent believers although it is hard to understand what brought them to their occupation in an environment in which dreams of all sorts may come true.
The main protagonist is a youngster living in Serbia earning his living as a "freelancer" in what is clearly the dark side of grey economy. In his spare time he excels in gaming, in particular first- person-shooters. After some consideration he accepted the job that should change his life for better and visit paradise on earth, as the new "employer" asserted.
As the movie would show, the main protagonist took literally the notion that Las Vegas is the place where dreams come true. Where would that lead him remains to be uncovered towards the finale.
What impressed me the most is that Travelator has a whole level of the story presumably invisible to the average viewer not versed with the part of the world where Serbia is located.
The main protagonist holds a Slovenian passport which allowed him to enter the US without a visa. I guess the concept of a visa is vague to a lot of Western viewers. He lives with his mother in a temporary housing for refugees, almost two decades after the wars that brought them there ended. His new "employer" looks rather low key, although his ties seem to reach all over the globe etc.
What worked well is how some aspects of life on both sides of the Atlantic are the same.
For example, the main protagonist's mother in Serbia clings to her faith in God because all other options proved useless. Manic street preachers in Las Vegas are fervent believers although it is hard to understand what brought them to their occupation in an environment in which dreams of all sorts may come true.