4 latas

It starts with a heartbeat,waking up your senses..it finaly (and I mean that with all my heart) with a smile and a heartbeat concluding this sahara-desert trip of 3 different characters bonded by either love or even deeper emotions (a real thirst of uncommon life to come, maybe?).

Well,let yourself feel the power of Africa,laugh and get emotional in between France Spain and Tombuctu 😉

Glimmering and stunning adventure/dramedy film concerning a group of friends taking on a dangerous journey . A letter from Tombuctu, Mali , revealing his old friend Joseba is very ill , moves to Tocho (Hovik Keuchkerian) -who works in Bilbao's docklands- to travel France for meeting his old friend Jean Pierre (Jean Reno) . Both of whom are jointed by the rebel and misguided Ely (Susana Abaitua) , Joseba's daughter , and all of them travel from Spain to Mali to meet Ely's dying father for the last time . As they set out in meeting their lifelong friend, estranged of their youth days , as long time ago they three traveled from Spain to Tombuctu to sell race cars . Nowadays , Joseba (Enrique San Francisco) who established himself in Mali, and there married an African woman , is very sick . All of them travel to Cadiz to cross in ship the Strait of Gibraltar, arriving Ceuta. From there , go passing the Sahara desert to arrive in Tombuctu to find the estranged father and friend Joseba . Along the way , they are detained at a custom control , deceived by Tuaregs , and , eventually , they are stunned by a young African stowaway named Mamadou (Juan Dos Santos) who was hidden into the car.

This fun story focuses the trio of friends knowing a letter about a dying colleague , it forces them to make a radical change on their lives , as tired of their bored and routine existences and leaving their jobs , they carry out a risked voyage throughout a barren desert , fighting against the perilous natural environment , and lack of water . In this well worth seeing picture there is nostalgic friendship , humor , drama , action , thrills and riveting landscapes . Four protagonists are frankly fabulous , and another starring is a 1982's Renault 4 modified as race car from the first days of Paris-Dakar Rally. As the excellent actors give nice performances , such as : Hovik Keuchkerian as a rude and bad-manners Basque , Jean Reno as the sympathetic and kind French veteran , as well as the good-natured but rebellious and mistaken young daughter played by Susana Abaitua . Adding other fine secondaries as the lost African Juan Dos Santos , Arturo Valls as a Spaniard street drug dealer and Francesc Garrido an old illegal trader who has old unfinished business with Jean Pierre . All interpretations of actors are top-notch , but especial mention for the veteran Enrique San Francisco who is really extraordinary , delivering one of his final roles .

Cinematography by cameraman Gonzaga Manson is awesome , like is well reflected on the spectacular and breathtaking scenarios . Sensational musical score with 13 beautiful songs sung by Pajaro Sunrise , including charming songs like "Shooting stars on the road to Timbuktu" and "See you soon" . The picture was competently directed by Gerardo Olivares who is an expert filming documentaries : Caravana , Marcos , el lobo , Dos Cataluñas, among others . In his life, Gerardo Olivares has been in more than 100 countries and filmed over than 80 documentaries, many of them in Africa . All this has been collected in his documentaries, sold all over the world for the most important television channels . Since 2006, Gerardo Olivares changes the documentaries for fiction movies and he will be known for La Gran Final (2006) , 14 Kilómetros (2007) , Entrelobos (2010), El Faro de las Orcas , Hermanos del viento and 4 Latas (2018) . The movie will appeal to lovers of the nature and dramedy enthusiasts and to Jean Reno fans . Rating : 7/10 . Notable , better than average . Good, worthwhile seeing.

This film is based on sumptuous landscapes of Saharan Africa, between Morocco and Mali. A wonderful and picturesque road trip aboard an improbable 4L, a mythical French car of the 60s. Otherwise, the film is rather insubstantial with dialogues and characters with little interest, although the subject (i.e. a road trip between friends) is theoretically enticing. As a synthesis: 4 of 10 thanks to the landscapes and the mythical 4L.

A very charming film with a multicultural cast, each adding his own talent to a sensitive and sometimes comic story. Light and well written, it takes us on a transaarinen journey, that offers a visually interesting glimpse of deep Africa (from Tangiers/Morocco to Timbuktu/Mali) on board of a french iconic car: the Renault 4L, best known in France as "catrelle". Also a self-discovery journey, as the relationship among the characters and with the challenges of the desert unfold.

Nice way to pass an evening. Plot isn't rock science, but well made and the characters are plausibly good and likeable.