Click to read the article
The Aura (2006)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:45
Fresh:40
Rotten:5
Average Rating:7.5/10
Consensus: The Aura is a highly original and cerebral thriller that maintains its suspense from start to finish.
Runtime: 2 hrs 18 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
Synopsis: In his elegantly conceived second feature, The Aura, Fabián Bielinsky (Nine Queens) both furthers his exploration of film form and creates a complex genre film firmly rooted in character. Espinoza... In his elegantly conceived second feature, The Aura, Fabián Bielinsky (Nine Queens) both furthers his exploration of film form and creates a complex genre film firmly rooted in character. Espinoza is an introverted taxidermist perfectly suited to solitary, meticulous work. Though private and unassuming, he's remarkably observant–an attribute that lends itself to masterminding perfect robberies...in his head. After his wife leaves him, Espinoza accepts a friend's invitation to go hunting in Patagonia. When an accidental death presents him with the chance to pull off a real heist, Espinoza naďvely places himself in the center of a scheme to rob an armored van. Unlike those in his imagination, however, this is a real crime with real criminals. As a heist film, The Aura sports a shrewd, serpentine plot, and Bielinsky allows us the fun of trying to arrange puzzle pieces on our own. But he also never lets go of his preoccupation with character and crafts a style that's airy and contemplative; The Aura's gorgeous, deliberate visuals are almost hypnotic. Espinoza is a fascinating protagonist, a quiet, opaque man who suffers from epilepsy. The "aura" refers to the eerie, frozen moment before a seizure when Espinoza knows it's coming but can do nothing about it. It's one of a handful of intertwining metaphors and themes that give The Aura a satisfying sense of wholeness. -- © Sundance Film Festival [More]
Starring: Ricardo Darin, Dolores Fonzi, Pablo Cedron, Jorge D'Elia
Starring: Ricardo Darin, Dolores Fonzi, Pablo Cedron, Jorge D'Elia, Alejandro Awada, Walter Reyno
Director: Fabian Bielinsky
Director: Fabian Bielinsky
Producer: Mariela Besuiveski, Pablo Bossi, Samuel Hadida, Gerardo Herrero
Composer: Lucio Godoy
Studio: First Take (IFC)
Reviews for The Aura
I have to admit I was more than intrigued by a film featuring an epileptic taxidermist with a photographic memory who fancies that he can commit the perfect crime.
It's intriguing and absorbing, this thriller about a lonely taxidermist caught up in a shooting accident, a case of mistaken identity and a heist.
This character-heavy crime thriller from Argentina occasionally gets off track, straying into territory that has little to do with the main story line. But they are interesting digressions, and it's sort of nice to have a movie that's so unpredictable.
A startling psychological drama with plenty of unexpected twists, a worthy follow-up [to] Fabian Bielinsky['s] riveting debut Nine Queens.
A fuzzy attempt at significance that seems as aimlessly lost in the woods as its heist-plotting characters.
A delight to look at, and full of both beautiful music and beautiful silences.
With "The Aura," his final picture, the director adopts a moody atmosphere to convey an original heist thriller set in the mysterious Patagonian forests.
It's less a deconstruction of the heist film than an ambitious contemplation of our fascination with the genre...
The movie is cause for both rejoicing and despair. The good news it's an absorbing, intelligent film. The bad is that there will be no more from the gifted [late director] Bielinsky.
It's tough to get behind a character who doesn't even seem to care about himself.
Visually, the film is almost perfect, with a weird, expressionistic sensibility considerably more sophisticated than the low-fi street shooting of Nine Queens, while the imaginative piano score trickles between pastoral harmony and primal discord.
A haunting character-study-cum-crime thriller that marks the maturation of a significant filmmaking talent.
The flavor is a decidedly mournful one, unusual to find in a crime thriller, but adding layers of rich atmosphere and psychological depth to a familiar but nerve-wracking genre tale.
The Aura is richer and less showy than Nine Queens, and it lifts off from the gangster genre to contemplate deeper mysteries. Reminiscent of Antonioni's The Passenger in its obsession with fate and choice.
A somber mood of bleak lives is enhanced by muted colors. The many unusual aspects keep The Aura continually intriguing.
Latest News for The Aura
November 16, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Casino Royale" Fresh, Certified Fresh; "Happy Feet" Shows Fancy Footwork; Guess The Tomatometer for "Prison"
This week at the movies prompts several questions. Will the latest Bond movie ("Casino Royale," starring Daniel Craig) leave pundits shaken and stirred? Can penguins... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Aura at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

