Cronos (La Invencion de Cronos): Film Review

Director Guillermo Del Toro’s 1993 Debut Horror

Feb 24, 2009

In Cronos, an elderly antique dealer discovers a medieval device holding the key to eternal life, but leaves those who use it thirsting for blood and avoiding sunlight.

From the start of his career, Del Toro showed more than just glimpses of the talent that would make him one of the best in the business.

This first of his feature-length productions casts the veteran Federico Luppi as Jesús Gris, who discovers a gilded, beetle-like artifact, created by a 16th century alchemist. When Jesús uses the device and benefits from it’s rejuvenative effects, he’s set on the path to a vampiric immortality that asks for too much in return.

He must also become acquainted with the uncommonly charming and brutish Angel de la Guardia (Ron Perlman), as the begrudging nephew of wealthy businessman Dieter (Claudio Brook), who is dying of cancer and wants the Cronos device at any cost.

Cronos Summary

Time for a trivia question: How often has a film been made by a first time director that happened to be the most expensive in the nation’s history - that nation being Mexico, the budget being all of $2 million? Del Toro’s debut was just that and the fact that 15 years on Cronos still stands strong is evidence of the skill and refinement of it’s cast and crew.

Cronos tends to be well received by those who see it, with the word ‘masterpiece’ often used. It’s difficult to argue with that, because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this film. However, if there is one thing that prevents this from competing with the very best then it could be the ninety-minute running time.

Of course, the resources simply weren’t available for a two hour production, but that extra half hour, or more, to explore deeper would go a long way. Even so, Cronos is a perfect marriage between craft and circumstance, making the film’s – necessarily - minimalistic production work extremely well for it.

Some fans of the modern vampire may not take to this approach, where even the few aspects beyond a completely animalistic nature that made up Bram Stoker’s literary original are missing here, with the vampire of Cronos stripped to it’s bare bones - Eternal life and bloodlust. Only the additional aspect regarding sunlight is present, which, with a story steeped in allegory, is a no-brainer.

Del Toro and Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro

Beginning their long-standing partnership, the two Guillermo’s have known from the start how to present a strong visual story to the audience.

Cronos, like all of Del Toro’s best work, has layers of information sewn into just about every aspect of what the eye sees on screen, from the use of colours and clothing to planting symbols as a form of visual exposition. This, as much as anything else, is what makes Toro’s films so savoury and filling. The man knows food. Sorry, films.

It takes a child-like enthusiasm to work so diligently and many aspects of Del Toro’s childhood are present, such as his early fascination with insects and mechanics, both of which featured in later films like Mimic and Hellboy 2.

There’s also layers to the allegory on display, with clear overtones of christianity and a messianic resurrection placed side-by-side with a fall from grace. Del Toro adds onto this his personal belief that christianity is in some ways related to alchemy and vampirism.

Then there’s the allegory concerning US/Mexico relations, with Del Toro citing in his commentary track the NAFTA treaty signed by the US, Mexico, and Canada, and likening US industrialist action as vampiric.

While the film bears these signature depths to define it as one of Del Toro’s best, there’s just not as much to work with in Cronos in terms of a surrounding environment. Later films like The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth showcase internal and external environments with growing confidence and mastery, in which department Cronos simply can’t compete, even if it’s still of a high standard.

Del Toro also applauds the contributions of producer Bertha Navarro, for helping to enroll Luppi and Perlman and otherwise allowing him to make the film that he wanted to make (as opposed to Mimic, which ran the gamut of screen-tests and forced modifications prior to release).

Federico Luppi and Ron Perlman Make the Cronos Cast Tick

In a role apparently written for Max Von Sydow, Federico Luppi comfortably fills his shoes. In fact, watching Luppi here will likely remind viewers of Christopher Lee.

The argentine actor is ideal for the part, measuring his performance to portray the aging Jesús as he is increasingly invigorated by the parasitic device, while being simultaneously overwhelmed by his bloodlust – which this approaches with a greater sophistication than the vast majority of vampire films.

Ron Perlman, meanwhile, helps bring a three-dimensional quality to a character that in other scripts might have settled for nothing more than the thuggish enforcer of a crazed tycoon. Clearly, the script for his part builds on the stereotype and Perlman puts on the final touches, creating a likable character in spite of his own repressed avarice and occupational violence.

Perlman more than establishes just why Del Toro would be keen to rekindle their working relationship in later projects, such as Blade 2 and for the lead in the Hellboy films.

Also starring is a young Tamara Shanath as the near-mute daughter, Aurora, and the late Claudio Brook, who died from stomach cancer in 1995, with Cronos being amongst the last of his films.

Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, and Pan’s Labyrinth DVD Boxset

A boxset is on release that contains these three of Del Toro’s best films. As usual, there’s a selection of extra material on offer, with Del Toro’s commentary tracks proving that he’s one of the more interesting people to listen to, freely divulging his lines of thinking and tricks of the trade.

If you love Del Toro’s work and haven’t got round to adding any of these to your collection, then you can’t go wrong with this outstanding boxset.

The copyright of the article Cronos (La Invencion de Cronos): Film Review in Horror Films is owned by Michael Pantazi. Permission to republish Cronos (La Invencion de Cronos): Film Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.