Product Details

• Actors: Viggo Mortensen, Elena Anaya, Unax Ugalde, Eduard Fernández, Enrico Lo Verso
• Language: Latin, Portuguese, Spanish
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005JPF9
• For more information about "Alatriste [Theatrical Release]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story that deserved to be told..., March 29, 2007

By 

M. B. Alcat "Curiosity killed the cat, but sa... (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Alatriste (DVD)

Yesterday I was able to watch "Alatriste", at the avant premiére of this film in Argentina. The movie started way too late, but was well-worth waiting for. Agustín Díaz Yanes clearly succeeded in his filmic version of Pérez-Reverte's "Alatriste" series, offering the spectators the opportunity to witness the adventures of a soldier and his friends, and making us care for whatever happens to them.

The action is set in the early 17th century, mainly in Spain. The story is told in retrospective by Íñigo Balboa (Unax Ugalde), a young man that Diego Alatriste (Viggo Mortensen) took under his wing after the death of his father, an old comrade. Alatriste was a soldier that sometimes offered his sword for hire to those who could pay the price, and that lived a dangerous life, during the decline of the Spanish Empire.

This film lasts more or less two hours, but that is enough to learn about Diego Alatriste and Iñigo, the women they loved, and the dangerous lives they led. It is also quite interesting to watch Alatriste's Spain, and learn what was wrong with it, from the point of view of a simple soldier that nonetheless had lots of pride and a distinctive point of view regarding what was happening around him.

Pride, courage, friendship, love and treason are some of the themes that this film tackles, while telling us about Alatriste and his friend. I would like to point out that the cast did a wonderful, specially in the case of Viggo Mortensen as Alatriste, Unax Ugalde as Iñigo, Ariadna Gil as Alatriste's lover and Elena Anaya as Angélica, the young woman Iñigo loved with all his heart.

On the whole, I can say I really liked "Alatriste". It is the kind of outstanding movie that creates an atmosphere that leds you to believe someone has managed to find a way to bring the past back, and you are lucky enough the experience it. What more can you ask a movie for? Of course, highly recommended...

Belen Alcat

PS1: Bear in mind that "Alatriste" has some scenes with a lot of violence and some nudity, never gratuitous but not adequate for children.

PS2: I saw Viggo at the avant premiére, and I am pretty sure that the ladies will be glad to know that he is just as good looking in person as in the movies. What is more important, though, is that he was extremely polite, and with a seemingly never ending patience for signing autographs and letting fans take photos :)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Though not a masterpiece, a movie worth watching!, July 20, 2007

By 

L Gontzes (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Alatriste (DVD)

Alatriste brings to the screen the story of a Spanish mercenary who made a name for himself fighting in the wars in the Netherlands in the first half of the 17th Century.
The film brings to the screen several stories, which are unfolding simultaneously: Firstly, Captain Diego Alatriste, and his turbulent life, secondly (and to a much lesser extent), Spain's involvement in the Netherlands and its steady decline, and thirdly the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants.
The movie sheds light on the intrigues of the Spanish court, and provides valuable insight into a very important period of Spanish (and European) History.
In addition, we get a taste (though a very light one) of 17th Century European politics.
Moreover, we get to see and hear about the infamous Spanish Holy Inquisition.
Viggo Mortensen (!!!), and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows!
The setting, the dialogues, and the costumes are all wonderful!
In a nutshell, though slow at times and difficult to follow, Alatriste will surely provide for an evening's entertainment!

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 5 books into one movie : nice try, September 21, 2006

By 

Manuela "Rhea" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alatriste (DVD)

I couldn't agree more with the first review. I loved the books and how exited was I to find out that my yearly trip to Madrid (coolest city in Europe) meant I could see the movie I was waiting for over a year now !

I loved it - however, too many battle scenes, not enough information on who, why and what and yes why is Angelica not blond ?? The end I found especially annoying... Viggo of course was fabulous - as always ;-)

Well worth seeing but, reading the books first is a must.
Manuela Rhea