Isaac Ezban is a writer and director that THN have been following for a number of years. From The Similars and Parallel, to 2022’s Evil Eye, the filmmaker consistently makes interesting films within the arena of independent genre cinema. The same is true of his newest project, Parvulos, which is currently doing the rounds on the festival circuit.
What makes Ezban such a fascinating director is that each film he makes is unlike those that came before, and Parvulos is no exception. Set in the wake of a world ravaged by disease, Parvulos joins three brothers as they try to survive. The siblings, which include older brother Salvador (Farid Escalante Correa), middle brother Oliver (Leonardo Cervantes), and youngest brother Benjamin (Mateo Ortega Casillas), live alone in the woods. Life is tough for the trio, and is complicated further by the secret that dwells within their basement.
A stomach-churning, heart-wrenching tale of survival, The first section of Parvulos is stunning. As the brothers trudge through their daily routine, the air is thick with pathos and resentment. Closing around this is the elephant shaped secret of the thing in the basement. Salvador and Oliver must feed the beast at regular intervals, and the creature’s presence is a source of both fear and fascination for the youngest boy. Benjamin is deemed too young to be let into the circle of trust concerning the nature of what lurks beneath them, which causes friction between the brothers. Benjamin is desperate to be perceived as old enough whereas the others know the toll and anguish that the knowledge generates. Like Benjamin, the audience is kept in the dark for much of the first act, and the sense of dread building towards the eventual reveal is near suffocating.
Each of the brothers are captivating to watch. The famous saying states you should not work with children, but when you have young actors as talented as those seen within Parvulos, there is little to worry about. As Salvador, Farid Escalante Correa gives the strongest and most complex performance. His character arguably goes on the biggest journey and Correa handles everything thrown at him with a maturity far beyond his years. Although the oldest, Salvador is at a physical disadvantage to his younger siblings, having lost a leg at an earlier point in the crisis. Rather than succumb to pathos about his new normal, Salvador instead strives to be the best that he possibly can be, getting up early to workout and strengthen his body into a muscle that can provide for, and keep his brothers safe.
Leonardo Cervantes and Mateo Ortega Casillas give equally mature performances. Of the three, Cervantes is given the least amount of screen time, suffering from the classic middle child problem of disappearing. He is still provided enough moments to shine, and a scene in which he is left alone to babysit the ‘monster’ downstairs is heartbreaking to watch. Casillas has the somewhat easiest job of bringing the light and fun to proceedings, but on occasion he has to traverse some complex scenes and does so with aplomb. That the young men are so good is essential as Parvulos is best when it leans into its dystopian coming-of-age angle.
Where Parvulos begins to unravel is in its need to constantly evolve itself. Initially a chamber piece thick with trepidation about what resides below, the reveal of the thing in the basement changes the tone immeasurably. Suddenly there’s a lightness to proceedings and several montages push the humour. This doesn’t last long though as an external factor soon causes havoc for the brothers. The final act is two fold, adding even more elements to the already stacked story. Some thinning of potential antagonists would be welcomed for a more streamlined and emotionally raw story, but unfortunately that is not the direction that has been chosen here. These developments slow the pacing and extend the runtime a little too far, which will leave some fatigued long before the final curtain falls.
At its heart Parvulos is a wicked tale of boys becoming men; Ezban’s film is strongest when it focuses on these elements. Surrounding this is a beautifully constructed set that feels as though it has been airlifted out of an apocalyptic fairy tale. Add to that some impressive moments of gory and some uncomfortable survival elements (Parvulos’ story isn’t particularly vegan friendly) and Ezban has some deliciously dark delights to torment the audience with.
Parvulos
Summary
Led by a mature young cast, Parvulos is best when delving into the tumultuous nature of siblings and transitioning from boy to man. Outside of that, some parts get lost, but never enough to spoil the hard work of both Ezban and his young performers.
Parvulos was reviewed at Fantastic Fest 2024. Parvulos will next screen in the UK at Soho Horror Film Festival.
