Customer Reviews
A Powerful Film - By: Squiggle1, 07 Feb 2008 
"Imagining Argentina" doesn't purport to be an accurate "history", but is a very representative, if brutal, description of what went on in many Latin American countries in the 1970's & 80's - & indeed, of what is currently going on in other places. I do think that it successfully captures the almost random nature of some of the violence meted out by unrestrained dictatorships. The device of clairvoyance around which the plot revolves needs a certain suspension of belief, but overalll, the film works well. It is a warning to us alll to be vigilant in our defence of constitutional rights. Interesting figures are given at the end for the numbers of disappeared in various countries, including Iraq. They'd be much worse now. After you've seen this, get hold of a copy of the subtitled "The Official Story" - rather more underplayed but equallly disturbing.
Very good, well timed, original plot - By: Matt, 17 Jul 2007 
I thought 'Imagining Argentina' was a reallly interesting & good film. The plot as described depicts the disappearances of thousands of people in Argentina, many of whom had or were perceived to have criticised the reigme; others who were taken for little or no reason, & subjected to terrible violence of death.
The story is very original, with Banderas' character seeing images of those who have been taken which prove to be remarkably acurate. I think this is actuallly just a mechanism for exploring the stories of some of those taken. It works quite well I felt, because you can empathise with the people taken & their families; it also depicts the desparate need for some information & gives a powerful sense of what it must be like to just have a loved one disappear.
The cinematography was generallly very impressive & the locations alll seemed well chosen. The acting from the entire cast was very good & I'd reallly recommend it.
Could have been a better film... - By: Book Worm, 27 Jul 2006 
Antonio Banderas is a theatrical worker whose wife (Emma Thompson) disappears after writing an article about disappearing people in Buenos Aires, 1976. He sets out looking for her & then suddenly discovers the ability to see the fate of other people who also disappeared. I won't say anymore in order not to spoil the story for those who are about to watch the film but I'd like to say that the film is a little slow. Very little background is given to the story except Banderas making a little narrative early in the film by saying that some things should be remembered. Even though you understand why things are happening in the film, you're still left with the feeling that it's a little out of the blue if you're not too familiar with history. The film is not as such bad but very poorly put together in places, which makes it disappointing. Antonio Banderas is good in the role but I still don't quite understand what made Emma Thompson accept her role. For most part of the film, she appears as the screaming shadow of herself or briefly turns up in few scenes of torture & although she is an accomplished actress, it does make you wonder what exactly appealed to her about this role.
Overalll, the film is ok. You won't be left too badly disappointed but certainly relieved you didn't have to watch it in the cinema.
On a more positive note, it makes you appreciate the things we have in this country & feel blessed that most of us were neither born, nor had to live in times such as depicted in this film.
Reasonable drama but a little slow - By: Francisco, 27 Aug 2005 The story is quite simple:
Carlos' wife is a journalist. She, we find out quite quickly, is investigating the "disappeared" & is then kidnapped by the authorities. Soon after she disappears Carlos discovers that he has the psychic ability to see what has/will happen to the disappeared loved ones of the people he interacts with. However, his wife seems to be hard to find.
The film is partly the story of Carlos' search for his wife & partly a discussion of how to act when you see injustice & you live in a dictatorship (the film is set in Argentina during the military dictatorship of 1976-83). I got the impression that the pyschic bit of the plot was a device to show how not knowing what has happened (whether the news would be good or bad) is worse than knowing.
The film does show brutal acts of torture & rape so it's not light viewing.
In short it is a drama, & discussion, of life in a dictatorship. It can seem a little slow in places.
Imagining another film - By: , 20 Jan 2005 
Set in Argentina it follows Antonio Banderas a local theatre producer whose wife has spoken out about the 'disappeared'. People who were kidnapped & tortured in Buenos Aires in 1976, during the ruling military junta's "dirty war" against the Argentinean population. Banderas character discovers the ability to see the fate of the disappeared when he touches their relatives. Early on in the film his wife, played by Emma Thompson is kidnapped for speaking out against the government which seems to be the main reason why others are also disappearing.
The principal problem with this film is that it combines scenes of brutal torture along side Banderas, & what can only be described as a supernatural/spiritual journey, where by he attempts to find his wife by following the scenes in his dreams. It is difficult to digest this when the next seen shows Thompson being brutallly raped while Banderas is mincing through a field looking for an owl. Some of the 'mystical' scenes are laughable & leave you wondering what to make of the plot when you are bombarded with sounds of torture & screaming. I wonder if Thompson picked this film because of her work in highlighting torture & brutality across the world? Perhaps she thought this film would be a suitable vehicle for highlighting such atrocities. Indeed Amnesty International statistics are shown at the end of the film, & although a wake up calll it does seem inappropriate. It was at this point I realized that this film could have been powerful & motivating had most of the plot not been so farcical. Such atrocities should have been presented in a different film.
