Diana Bernedo & co in "Al Acecho del Leopardo" [2011, Mexico]

"Al Acheco del Leopardo" [Eng. title: The Stalking of the Leopard] is writer Enrique Renteria's first foray into directing feature-length films, and I'm sure it must have been a learning curve of sorts for him. Having said that, it isn't a bad effort, notwithstanding the odd continuity errors and a slightly underwhelming climax. But it is after all a typical Mexican mainstream thriller, and I've seen worse even from seasoned directors. The cinematography is actually pleasing to the eye, and of course, the customary inclusion of unbelievably beautiful people makes this film more than tolerable.

Amazon DVD Link




Spoiler-free Storyline:
Roman is on a camping expedition with two attractive young tourist friends, the Spanish Lorena and Brazilian Patricia, when he witnesses and even records the massacre of some Mexican Indian peasants by a man in a leopard-skin hat. Roman is spotted and instantly killed, and so is Patricia. Lorena escapes in the ensuing commotion, and is rescued by a travelling group of midget bullfighters. They offer to take her to safety in Mexico city where Eduardo, Roman's brother lives. But the assassin is determined to catch up with Lorena in order to leave no trace of what happened - he is after all doing the bidding for a very powerful man - the local governor. His relentless pursuit and Lorena's frantic efforts to escape unscathed is what the thriller is all about.




Compilation: Diana Bernedo, Andreia Martins, and Talía Marcela



Scene Guide:

• It's always a pleasure to see blog-related highlights appearing early on in film. Here we have Lorena and Patricia teasing Roman as they go skinny-dipping in the stream, unaware of a massacre about to happen in their vicinity. Lorena is played by a pretty Diana Bernedo, and Patricia by Brazilian model Andreia Martins. Nice..!
• Good things don't last forever and soon poor Patricia meets a terrible end while an understandably petrified Lorena scrambles to safety.
• Exhausted, bruised, and still naked, Lorena is picked up by a some travelling bullfighters who call themselves Bullfighters of Lilliput.
• Eduardo tries to inform Maura, Roman's estranged and totally stoned wife about his brother's death, but her lover just wouldn't let him disturb her. A scuffle ensues. Maura is played by Talía Marcela.

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