Eldorado (2022) Film Review – Roadtrip!

Posted on by Jim Cox

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Eldorado is a 2022 extreme road movie written by Andrea Cavaletto, and directed by Domiziano Christopharo. Not the first time working together, Andrea and Domiziano have collaborated on a number of different titles in the past, such as Xpiation (2017), The Transparent Woman (2015), and Doll Syndrome (2014) to name a few.

A cave, a mysterious book, and a woman who guards its mystery. One man’s journey, in the footsteps of his predecessors, in search of alchemical gold.

Eldorado is heavily inspired by the laws of Dogme 95–a manifesto, created by Danish directors Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg and introduced in 1995–as a collection of rules to create films based on the traditional values of story, acting, and theme, while excluding the use of elaborate special effects or technology. The movement is based on the principles of shooting on location being a necessity, sourcing the film’s props from said area, any score included must originate from within a scene, the use of colour film shot from a handheld camera, and multiple other stipulations to help battle the swelling over-production occurring within the industry.

Although not adhering to all of these mandates, Eldorado certainly embodies this movement’s stylistic choices with its use of natural lighting, hand-held cinematography, and the majority of the props being sourced on location–incorporating the independent essence the manifesto was created for. The film’s dual narratives, though seemingly co-occurring, are temporally separated through an undisclosed time, yet are relayed to the audience cyclically, displaying concurrent scenes in sequence.

The narrative contains elements from Santeria, an Afro-Caribbean religion originating in 19th-century Cuba from slaves. The religion arose amid a process of syncretism between the traditional Yoruba religion of West Africa, Catholicism, and Spiritism. Although originating in Cuba, the religion soon spread to Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Gran Canaria, where Eldorado is set.

Delivering a highly stylized level of visualization, Eldorado concretizes its adherence to Domge 95’s principles through its visual design. The film showcases vibrant yet muted colors, which, combined with a purposeful soft focus and fluctuations in framerate, create a paradisiacal dreamscape. Additionally, the use of desolate desert locations further emphasizes the film’s exploration of both physical and metaphorical isolation. The extensive establishing shots of vast, open locales certainly foster introspection between the two–offering an alluring yet solitary experience.

Featuring a much more restrained use of special effects compared to most of Domiziano’s filmography, Eldorado still showcases some impressive scenes utilizing remarkable practical effects. One notable scene, involving ritualistic self-mutilation, presents an imposing and discernible depiction of the dismemberment of flesh. Although these scenes of brutality are efficiently visceral, the blood work is understated–allowing the details of the effects to remain unobstructed.

Containing a relatively small cast, the majority of Eldorado’s screentime is focused on the film’s two protagonists, played by Nicholas Sartori (Last film) and Nicola Vitale Materi. While their dialogue is minimal throughout, this allows the pair to deliver a large portion of their performances through encompassing facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body movement. However, most of the dialogue featured during the film is delivered through narration. While styled as noir internal monologues, the narration is provided by Todd ‘Quality’ Jaeger rather than the protagonists.

While primarily consisting of ambient sounds, the film’s intermittent score features a blend of smooth jazz, classical, and dramatic choral music. This eclectic mix undoubtedly provides a thematic accompaniment to the scenes. Its sporadic nature ensures that its delivery remains impactful. Moreover, the choral tracks enhance Eldorado’s motifs of Santería and Catholicism.

An atypical exploration of religion, ritualism, and self-discovery, Eldorado is a stylishly adroit yet brutal road movie that isn’t afraid to change up the formula to fit its narrative. With its adoption of Dogme 95’s visual edict, animated performances from the main protagonists, vivid practical effects, and recurrent score, the film is sure to resonate with both fans of genre cinema as well as more avant-garde pieces such as the work of Jordrowsky or Cocteau.

Eldorado (2022) is available to purchase from Unusual Horror’s website here.

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