A petty thief, Ciro (Peter Lanzani), finds himself in a rather strange pickle. He enters an SUV that he hopes to rob, but things quickly go sideways when he tries to leave. He can’t. He tries the doors, he tries kicking the windows, he tries to rip the doors open, his phone’s battery runs out, so he can’t call for help. He even tries shooting the windshield, only for the bullet to ricochet, and hit him in the leg. When he screams, no one outside hears him, nor can they see him. The car is set on keeping him inside.
Things get even weirder when the touch screen display in the vehicle shows an incoming call. Ciro answers, and finds himself talking to a Dr. Enrique Ferrari (Dady Brieva), who seems to have no interest in letting Ciro go, tormenting him by remotely controlling the air conditioner, and offering no food or water that Ciro desperately needs while also going on and on about his experiences being a victim of theft numerous times throughout his life. Of course, as time continues to pass, and Dr. Ferrari becomes more ruthless, Ciro gets more and more desperate in finding a way out of the vehicle.
Allegedly inspired by actual events – though, I doubt whatever inspired this story is anywhere near as wild as this, the film is a really fun and intriguing thriller that has more on its mind than one might initially expect. Director, Mariano Cohn, and his co-writer, Gastón Duprat, use the basic foundation of the premise to explore the socioeconomic divides in Argentina, playing on the dynamic between a clearly well-off doctor and a guy from a lower class family, trying to get by, even if its not by ideal means. It’s not the most involved commentary, but it adds an interesting layer to the film.
As a thriller, it’s very well constructed, getting to the meat of the film nearly right away by opening on Ciro breaking into the car. A good chunk of the first acts contains little dialogue as we simply watch Ciro try various methods to get out, and by filming almost everything inside the car, it brings a very claustrophobic feeling that adds to the tension. As the film kicks into its third act, that is when the action ends up outside the car, and it does lose a bit of momentum because of this, but it still remains entertaining.
For most of the film, Peter Lanzani is stuck all by himself, and it relies on him to keep the film engaging through his acting prowess alone, and Lanzani is clearly up for the challenge. He carries the film really well, and you feel his frustration. He even builds a solid dynamic with Dady Brieva, who brings a menacing presence using only his voice. I also want to shout out Luis Brandoni, who shows up in the film rather late in the game, but nearly steals the entire show with just a single sequence.
4×4 is an engrossing film, and it takes you on a really strange but also very compelling ride. It had me from the beginning, and it never lost me. While some elements might push your suspension of disbelief, most of the film’s mechanics hold together well enough, and the filmmaking itself is so meticulous and assured that not a moment rings false or overtly contrived. Peter Lanzani absolutely delivers in a really tough environment for any actor. And the film is able to pull off its tension building and occasional darkly comedic beats while also touching on bigger themes and bigger ideas that elevate the material beyond cheap thrills. It’s a film I enjoyed quiet a bit, and I would consider it fairly accessible to anyone looking for a nifty high concept suspense film.
4×4 is now out on VOD platforms.