499

499 is an experimental 2020 film, which follows an ageless figure who travels timelessly from the brutal past into the present, allowing the audience to dive headfirst into an artfully crafted tapestry of history, horror, and lingering trauma. Boldly directed by Rodrigo Reyes, and strongly acted by Eduardo San Juan, this film mixes fiction with documentary elements to create a transfixing journey through time.

The conceit of the movie is based on the Spanish Conquistador, played by Eduardo San Juan, whose ship washed ashore in Mexico in 1519. But in this film, rather than moving forward as the reconquistador of the old world, he instead journeys through today's Mexico, confronting the heartbreaking realities that exist in this interesting intertwining of the past and present.

The movie takes the audacious aspect of time slip, allowing it to traverse through 499 years of history, filled with violence, backlash, and injustice. This exploration is done effectively, using the Conquistador as a passive observer who is cast into a setting far-removed from his time of empire and conquest. San Juan's performance as the Conquistador is critical: his fierce expressions and almost out-of-place presence give the story a sort of raw realism and intriguing texture.

The opening sequence of 499 shows the figure of the Conquistador washed up on a beach, as a strange, solid figure, stranded in a land he thought he knew. All he carries with him is a set of functional armor and a locket with the picture of a woman. He sets off to explore, and the audience is swept along with him as he navigates through modern highways, coastal communities, bustling cityscapes, and ravaged landscapes bearing the marks of drug violence and social unrest.

As the Conquistador travels, he encounters Mexican locals and marginalized voices bearing the brunt of their country's societal flaws. He encounters fishermen, farmers, migrants, survivors of violence, and indigenous people. Their stories are rooted in harsh reality, and they share them candidly. The Conquistador becomes a vessel for these stories to be expressed.

Given that 499 blends documentary-style interviews with the fictional wanderings of its main character, it sheds light on the lingering impacts of colonialism on indigenous and marginalized communities, the devastating drug wars, immigration issues, and violence against women. Interestingly, the Conquistador does not pass judgment on the stories he hears or the people he encounters. Similarly, the people he encounters do not hold him accountable for the violent dispossession that happened centuries ago. Thus, the movie does an excellent job of examining Mexico's complex relationship with its past and its present without resorting to simplistic binaries.

What sets 499 apart is its breathtaking cinematography and the sweeping grandeur of its landscapes. The minimalistic sound design, combined with haunting visuals, only add to the concentration required to probe the historical echoes embedded within the landscape. The color saturation of certain scenes - the vivid green of a lush jungle or the oppressive gray of an urban hellscape - threads the narrative together and signals a visual continuity representative of the Conquistador's relentless journey through time.

In essence, 499 offers an ambitious and thought-provoking glance at the remnants of colonization, revealing the latent but still prevalent tensions and traumas of a nation. By placing the Conquistador in a modern setting, the film juxtaposes the past atrocities of colonization with the tangible realities of modern-day Mexico, thus creating an arresting cinematic experience.

Watching 499 is not simply a viewing experience – it is a philosophical and historical exploration of colonialism's lingering impact. The viewer is left haunted by the past, confronted by the present, but also filled with hope for the future. If you appreciate cinema that challenges traditional norms and disrupts the narrative structure with its artistic courage, 499 is a must-watch. This film is an exceptional achievement that showcases the power of cinema to convey profound, complex ideas in an engaging and beautiful manner.