The Wrath of God (2022) revolves around Luciana, a young girl who faces the death of her family members and is convinced that the cause is a famous writer with who she used to work. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Luciana works for Kloster as a typist, typing out his work as he dictates it to her. One day when he makes an unprovoked sexual advance on her, she is repulsed and leaves. She later files a sexual harassment case against him and this news leads to Kloster’s wife killing their daughter and herself due to her mental issues.
Over the next 12 years, Luciana’s family members lose their lives one by one and she is convinced that Kloster is behind it as some form of revenge. She reaches out to Esteban Rey, another former writer she worked for who is now a journalist, to share her story.
Esteban tries to corroborate her story and while he does find suspicious links, there’s nothing concrete to go on. He even has a face-to-face with Kloster, who in turn accuses Esteban of envy.
Is Kloster really the mastermind behind these deaths or is it an unfortunate streak of bad luck like he claims it to be?
Performances
Macarena Achaga is one of the three key focuses in this film and she shows off the most range, although it is not really outstanding work. Her depiction of the slow descent into madness and paranoia is satisfactory but it doesn’t really elevate such a promising scenario.
Diego Peretti’s portrayal is certainly cold but falls short of sinister. His performance is a little too vague which works against his role as the main antagonist.
Juan Minujín is the third and final piece of the puzzle and also the weakest link. He exists in the film without adding too much to the overall quality.
Positives
The story is an intriguing one with minor shortfalls. With a little more time and better direction, it could have been considered a better film.
The writers have done a decent job with the script, the lines have real depth to them and capture the thriller aspect of the story adequately.
The interview sequence between Kloster and Esteban is a highlight of the film. The intensity is raised a few notches and this is where the film peaks in quality.
Negatives
The shift from past to present is a little haphazard and could have been structured better. Certain setpieces are placed in the wrong position in the timeline causing a disconnect.
The ending of the film is a huge disappointment. The fact that Kloster does not get his comeuppance and is presumably getting into a relationship with a girl his daughter’s age is bringdown from what preceded it.
Even considering that the director was going for a noir ending where the antagonist triumphs, the final conversation between Kloster and Esteban was a little too ambiguous and many other side plots weren’t explored enough.
Verdict
The Wrath of God (2022) is a thriller that holds your attention for a single watch but any scrutiny beyond that and the entire facade crumbles. The ending is hugely unsatisfying and leaves a bad taste in your mouth after a decent build-up.
Rating: 2.5/5
Also Read: The Wrath of God (2022) summary and ending explained