Isaac Ezban is a regular on festival circuits, with films like Evil Eye and The Similars establishing him as an interesting, if under-seen, contributor to Mexican horror. His latest film, Parvulos, is his longest feature at just under two hours, and he shows considerable ambition with this dystopian tale of survival compared to his previous, single location, stripped back work.
The subtitle, “Children of the Apocalypse”, aptly sums up the story of three brothers living an isolated existence in the woods, who try to survive on their own while feeding the mysterious creatures in the basement. Salvador (the oldest and de facto leader), and Oliver (the middle child), keep the creature’s identities from Benjamin (the youngest), who sees the animals as pets rather than food. When he, and the audience, discover who these creatures are, the brothers find themselves with new problems to face.
Parvulos is an engaging enough watch, not least because the performances of the three central actors provides a believable sibling energy
Ezban is consistently good at crating a moody atmosphere across his work and, like he did with black-and-white photography in The Similars, the muted colour palette emphasises the apocalyptic dread, the only bright colours being found in photos or old movies – signs of the past that are nostalgically remembered. Aside from one scene of exposition the dystopia is felt rather than described, primarily being told through the children’s perspectives. Oliver comments that “The economy collapsed. I don’t know what that means but that’s what they said”, which is a sadly comic line that captures the confusion and uncertainty of the as it is world now.
After Benjamin learns the secret of the creatures, the film shifts into a range of different tones as outsiders intrude on the brothers’ sheltered world. A brief and darkly comic, almost absurdist tone plays off interestingly against the serious dystopia, but this becomes increasingly dangerous as the ominous “trumpet cult” make their presence felt. It’s at this point that the film becomes overburdened as, having invested in the brothers’ family dynamics, it uses that only as a foundation to build tension in the increasingly perilous situations. The shift from character-driven action to plot-driven narrative is somewhat disappointing, but understandable considering the story Ezban wants to tell.
With its mentions of “infected” and the concept of a post-pandemic society there’s an obvious resonance with a certain type of apocalyptic tale, but there’s little sense that this is meant to be an allegory. Indeed, Ezban plays with familiar tropes, and although it’s designed to be shocking and downbeat, even the ending lacks punch and emotional heft. Putting children in danger is an obvious way to create tension, and the film initially promises a more interesting take on the concept before playing it safe. In the end, Parvulos is an engaging enough watch, not least because the performances of the three central actors provides a believable sibling energy, but the film doesn’t bring enough originality to the table to make it a must see.
Parvulos had its World Premiere at Fantasia 2024
