The Similars (2015) User Reviews

Los Parecidos

[cris_stonehead · 7/10 · 8 October 2016]

"Los Parecidos/The Similars" the second film by Mexican director Issac Ezban really is "A love letter to the science fiction movies of the 60s".

The mysterious plot of the film is bizarrely addressed by the style that the young director is creating, mixing photography and really amazing soundtrack transports you to another era.

The film reminds us the classic episodes of the "Twilight Zone" and the music of the film remind us the musicalization of the works of Alfred Hitchcock.

No doubt Ezban Issac and his team are doing a great work resurrecting the science fiction genre in México.

Unintentionally funny

[LittleLotti · 5/10 · 23 September 2018]

While I liked the style of this movie, the concept wasn't executed well enough for me. I found it more comical than creepy, more wacky than weird. Some of the acting and editing was awful, and I definitely felt like some moments were cringe-worthy. I am a fan of the Twilight Zone, which other people have compared this to, but The Similars was too ridiculous and unsubtle to be in the same league as the classic series. I feel like I'm in the minority here, but I say skip this one.

Bonkers, but with style

[Veldusi · 7/10 · 23 January 2019]

Imagine Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch both working on an idea for a collaborative flick, while riding Willy Wonka's shuttle through the LSD tunnel, pouring each other's glass to the brim with Laudanum Absinthe. This is probably what comes out at the end of it.

This movie was many things.

Grainy, stylish, repellent, thrilling, dragging, outrageous silly, diabolical, weird, annoying at moments, but nowhere dull.

It's story unfolds mainly through the quick and sudden change of perspectives which I found a bit distracting and chaotic, but in the end it fell in place.

I was surprised by the effective and efficient use of the minimalistic interior setting. It worked perfectly as canvas to blend the different types of genre (thriller noir, horror, sci-fi, surrealism) together in one highly stylised weirdness. The camerawork, particulary in the opening scenes, grabbed my attention immediately. Beautifully done.

This was a pleasant surprise after a bunch of less interesting Netflix horror flicks. Contrary to what the English title might suggest, this was all but similar to most.

If there was a thing to complain about, than it would be the middle part were all characters have a go at each other. By that time I lost interest because the dialogues seemed forced and unnecessary. One could argue that this was an attempt to put emphasis on the fact they were merely pieces, but that didn't work for me.

The good thing is that the story let me with a lingering thought about the power of imagination. It's something we all have and mostly enjoy, but at the same time try to keep under control. Bad things might happen otherwise.

Or at least, that's what we think...

We are all alike We are all Ulises!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 1 April 2016]

In case you're a huge fan of nostalgic Sci-Fi/horror movies from the fifties and sixties, or an admirer of landmark and genre-determining TV-series like "The Twilight Zone" or "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", then "The Similars" is undoubtedly the best motion picture you'll see this year (and probably in the next few years to come). I'm a tremendous fan of the aforementioned decades and titles and I instantly knew I wanted to see this one as soon as I laid my eyes on the fantastic old- school film poster, what with its lovely use of green shades and its illustration of a hysterical face covered in bandages. The poster seems to come straight out of the sixties, and so does the entire movie, in fact. Writer/director Isaac Ezban was present at the Brussels' International Festival of Fantastic Films, where I watched it, and openly declared his love and devotion for the genre as well as his fascination for all the external influences, political and social, that were processed into the screenplays of the movies back then. Ezban tried to do the same with "The Similars" and I can easily confirm that he succeeded, since the story he invented here is easily one of the most original and imaginatively refreshing ones I've seen in a long time. In the fall of 1968, in a little village that is located in five hours driving distance from Mexico City, a handful of people are stranded in an old bus station. They are desperately waiting for the next bus, but it won't come since all public transport is disrupted due to the unusually heavy rainfall. Some more people strand at the station and via the radio they learn that the rain showers apparently form a worldwide issue and the drops might even be acid. Inside the station the tension mounts between the stranded passengers and inexplicable phenomena start to occur. The people's faces gradually begin to alter and look exactly like the face of Ulises, the man who arrived at the bus stop first. Álvaro, a fanatic med student on his way to the protest mars in the city, is convinced that Ulises is part of a secret governmental experiment, but given strange nature of the events, it's far more likely that paranormal forces are at work. Isaac Ezban, with the help of his wonderful ensemble cast of course, truly brings to life some essential aspects of sixties' cinema, most notably the Cold War paranoia, the ominous atmosphere as well as the consecutive series of inexplicably supernatural occurrences. To give just one example, the scene where the baffled characters discover that not only their own faces but also those in magazines and on wall posters is a masterful slice of cinematic craftsmanship. Of course, and inevitably, "The Similars" isn't entirely without flaws. Sci-Fi flicks from the old days as well episodes from "The Twilight Zone" were particularly effective just because they only had running times of around 60 minutes or even less. Although not exaggeratedly lengthy, "The Similars" occasionally feels a bit tedious and, especially when reaching the finale, overlong. Ezban also has a few issues to properly explain all the mysterious events near the end and all too easily ends his film with a stern voice-over reciting a kind of text like "some things in this universe simply can't be clarified". On the other hand, that's typically old school Sci-Fi as well! "The Similars" is a very good and joyful movie to watch, preferably amidst a large crowd (for example a festival) where you can share your amazement at some of the plot twists with fellow genre admirers.

Fine, not great. Good ambiance.

[amc672 · 6/10 · 9 September 2018]

An interesting photography. Irregular performances (the kid was not my favorite). Good atmosphere generating suspense. Music that more than to homage Bernard Herrman's scores, sounds like plagiarism (also final credits look like quite similar to North by Northwest and Psycho titles, beyond a homage). The script is interesting but I do not feel an strong closure and even could be considered for some a 68's mexican student massacre trivialization.

just to watch one occasion without demanding too much. And if you are a Hitchcock's fan, like I am, you probably could feel uncomfortable for excessive similarities in technical aspects.

Anyway, enough to feel curious and seeing another Ezban's work.

6/10

What On Earth Is Going On?

[rontepper-38401 · 31 October 2015]

1968 was a turbulent time in both Mexican and United States history. It was a time of great sociological unrest, when authority was questioned, and social protests became prominent. While the United States lost Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr, the Mexican government used its power to suppress political opposition from innocent students leading to a massacre in Tlatelolco during the reign of president Diaz- shortly before the 1968 Olympics.

I bring this up only because it serves as background for Isaac Ezban's fascinating and imaginative second Science Fiction film- "The Similars".

Setup- 8 people find themselves stranded at a bus station during a devastating rainstorm only five hours outside of Mexico City. But this is no ordinary storm, nor are the news reports that come in. This rain contains a lot more than just water.

The cast of characters are comprised of an old man on the verge of retirement, a pregnant woman on the run, a medical student, a mother and her handicapped son, and a few significant others. As with his brilliant debut film- "El Incidente", the characters seem inconsequential to the story. They are used merely to examine the human condition when put in a position of extreme circumstance.

As the story unfolds, we witness a strange phenomenon. Each character, by way of a bizarre seizure, wake up no memory and the same face. As expected tensions arise, characters become desperate for answers, paranoia takes over, and violence- including a few deaths. The student fears the government is involved. Others believe it's the Devil. An old native Aztec woman has an opinion too, but nobody can understand a word she says. This is only the premise. No Spoilers.

Could one of these characters hold the secret? Is there some sort of cosmic game taking place? Can fantasy become an uncontrollable reality? One character actually does, my only fault with the film. It wasn't needed- the setup was fascinating enough. There is dark humor throughout this film, which Ezban delivers- tongue in cheek. I won't spoil the surprises. This is a fun, imaginative journey into Science Fiction. While his feature film "El Incidente" was explained within the context of abstract spiritual realism, this story has it's dots well connected and unfolds with perfect timing.

The film's main metaphor is - what does man become when stripped of his identity? That was in question that tragic day in Tlatelolco in 1968. Somehow, the military forgot that individuality can not be compromised, and there are dangers when our identity is suppressed in favor of forced conformity- in other words- when people are forced to "All Become The Same" (tagline). The fact that Ezban used a Sociological equivalency to his Sy/Fy story shows that this Director may become a true future visionary in the world of modern day Cinema.

The direction of Ezban, along with the cinematography of Isi Sarfati, leave the film with a real 60s look and feel. Yes, this is very much Ezban's tribute to Rod Serling's - The Twilight Zone - with a unique twist by Ezban that Serling would have loved. Like great Writers and Directors, Ezban's story is fun, fascinating, and totally original- and just when you think you have the film figured out, he throws us the proverbial curve ball and dares us to hit it. Don't be misled by the trailer. Violence is kept to a minimum. On imagination alone, I give this a rating of 8/10.

Los Parecidos: Erm......

[Platypuschow · 3/10 · 15 January 2019]

I don't have much experience with Mexican cinema, looking over my ratings I see I haven't had much luck either. With just a 3/10 this is still the highest rated Mexican movie I've seen!

It tells the story of a group of strangers who come together in a bus station during a mysterious down pour and...............I can't really say anything else without going into spoiler territory.

What I can say is it's weird, like really really weird and I struggled to take it seriously. There were moments I assumed it was a comedy, but it's actually not. It heavily reminded me of something you'd see on the Twilight Zone or Outer Limits but had been stretched out into a 90 minute movie.

The premise is ridiculous, the whole thing doesn't come together in the end. Yes it's explained, it just isn't very good.

I wish I could go deeper into this film and explain but saying anything would spoil it (Not that there is much to spoil). All I'll say is this is certainly one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen, it's highly original but that isn't always a good thing.

The Good:

Very original

Very stylish

The Bad:

Too silly to be taken seriously

Overall it's bafflingly awful

The Similars review

[JoeytheBrit · 6/10 · 20 April 2020]

Eight people trapped in a railway station by a strange rainstorm find themselves undergoing terrifying transformations. There's no doubt Isaac Ezban came up with an original idea and made good use of his limited resources, but the fate of these perpetually bickering, mistrustful travellers always borders on the unintentionally comical. And I'd be highly offended if I was Zach Galifianakis...

Really bad nonsense

[blakk-74767 · 2/10 · 7 March 2019]

Started this with high hopes, liked the way it was presented and filmed, but a ridiculous story that is more annoying than anything else... Shame

KILL THE FVCKING KID

[jeshelle · 6/10 · 21 July 2019]

This movie will mess with your mind. What you see isn't what you get. Outstanding cinematography, compelling plot and convincing characters - you can tell that this movie is off to a great start. But this was ruined by a silly twist and a comedic third act. Man, I was so underwhelmed.

Creepy, but aimless

[CountJonnie · 5/10 · 7 May 2018]

Los Parecidos is a nod to older horror movies and it succeeds in style. It invokes feelings of the 80's in color, style, looks and characters, including paranoia to the government.

But the story is lacking. The story is about a group of people who get stranded in a station during a crazy storm with supernatural elements in which various people turn into clones of each other. Each has their own theory, driving one against the other, succesfully creating an atmosphere of distrust and claustrophobia. The characters however feel rushed, although they do what they can, given the script.

The events feel random and aimless. Since they're caused by a child with reality altering powers, possibly controlled by aliens. This gives the creater too much freedom and he can go any way with it, without forming a grounded base for either the characters or the events. The scares are few and repetitive. The acting is decent. And the conclusion is random, especially since the ending is kind of open and suggests that more events are coming.

Watch it for the nostalgia, but other than that, it's not worth talking about or remembering.

Brilliant, a love story to The Twilight Zone

[RichardThriftOfficial · 10/10 · 20 January 2017]

If you are a fan of The Twilight Zone you will love Isaac Ezban's creation, The Similars. Authentic in its approach, a genuinely suspenseful film which you cannot turn your eyes away from. A spine chilling master-piece evoking the spirit of classic thrillers and black and white science fictions before it. If this film was a book, you would not put it down, and surely, even if you guess the ending, you could still be wrong. It carries a message, and at the end, you understand just what that message is. Strong performances by the actors and excellent directing make this film a pleasure to watch and one you will want to see again and again, and share with everyone who has not seen it.

Tlatelolco Massacre

[buckley_alan · 6/10 · 16 May 2017]

The film makes obvious references to the 1968 Olympics and the Tlatelolco Plaza massacre. I just can't make the connection between the film's story and the real life horror in Mexico City in October 1968. I hope somebody on this board can help me figure this out.

The "Similars" all look like archetypal student revolutionaries, and a key character repeats the line, "Kill all the innocents." Most of the government's victims in Tlatelolco Plaza were clearly innocent of any crimes meriting their execution by the Mexican government. Maybe the "rain" refers to a "rain of bullets" or a "reign of terror"? Another character asks if the mystery is the work of "the Americans or the Soviets," and we know today that the U.S. government was involved in the actions of the Mexican army at Tlatelolco. I just need help putting this all together.

Stop comparing this to hitchcock

[andrewhutton89 · 1/10 · 6 August 2018]

This is absolute garbage. I just finished watching this movie and it is the worst thing I have ever seen, leaving a bad taste in my mouth and wishing I could wash my eyes out. It looks like the most obnoxious student film with zero motivation and no substance. The spoiler is pretty laughable (I genuinely laughed) but it's enjoyable for about 15 seconds until you realise the movie is this stupid. Everything looks cheap and tacky - I'm guessing it had a small budget but Jesus Christ! The grainy, cigarette burn/Kelvin insta filter gets annoying very quickly. I watched this because people were comparing it to Hitchcock. Within 5 minutes I realised people are stupid. Watch this movie if you want to be robbed of life. Fin.

FINALLY, a writer/director/producer who's thinking outside the box.

[claudialora · 15 November 2017]

I really liked this movie! There will be zero spoilers here; I'll be getting straight to the point.

Where horror films are concerned, I'm beyond weary of the seemingly endless stream of remakes and reboots coming out of Hollywood. For years I've been waiting for someone — ANYONE — to start thinking out of the box and create something original. Finally, the writer/director/producer of "The Similars" did just that. His name is Isaac Ezban. Remember it... because I have a strong feeling that Guillermo Del Toro will be getting a bit of home-grown competition on 'the horror front' before too long.

'The Similars' is sort of a 'period piece' that's set in 1968, with the Tlatelolco Massacre hovering over it like a dark, ominous cloud from start to finish. (If you're unfamiliar with the incident, Google it.) This movie is also a tribute to the horror classics of the 1960s. Interesting and attention-grabbing from the start, it straddles the fence between 'bizarre' and 'comically absurd' before then veering straight into 'old-school horror' territory with a rather unexpected sci-fi twist. If you want or need to know more? Track it down and watch it. Seriously. The less you look into this movie ahead of time, the better. Allow yourself to be pleasantly surprised.

This would have been one of the best Twilight Zone episodes EVER

[lemon_magic · 7/10 · 2 April 2019]

I liked a lot of things about "The Similars (Los Parecidos)" once I got used to the slightly different standards and tropes of Mexican film making. It wasn't perfect, but it was well made and thought out....in spite of the somewhat derivative feel of the story.

When I say "derivative", I'm saying that I saw influences from the TZ episode with Billy Mumy, "Night Of The Living Dead", Philip K Dick's "Ubik" (or his Mexican equivalent) and every other "band of survivors trapped together in a seemingly apocalyptic scenario". But those aren't bad influences. And some of the plotting was very clever - I saw the first plot twist coming a mile away (the little boy is causing all this awful stuff to happen with his mental powers) but was totally sandbagged by the 2nd one just before the end.

On the other hand, the attempts to invoke social relevance with references to student demonstrations seemed heavy-handed and clumsy. The script had enough paranoia and fear going on in the bus station without trying to be socially relevant.

The acting was, well... appropriate to the story and the scenario. Nothing subtle or nuanced going on here, but on the other hand, that's not what was called for (lots of declaiming and yelling is what was called for). And the cinematography that drained all the color and life out of the scenery added greatly to the atmosphere.

What made the movie stand out, to me, was the inclusion of the comic book story read (and shown) to us by the little boy (also titled "Los Parecidos") that added a genuinely unsettling feel to the proceedings and explained some (but not all) of what was going on...without letting the audience off the hook even one little bit.

So: "The Similars" is worth watching if you enjoy weird survival horror or body horror, or a genuinely creepy vibe.

Misunderstood

[stole86 · 7/10 · 3 September 2020]

Rarely do I write a review but felt compelled this time because many viewers found this movie funny and not serious. Yes the theme is a bit bizarre in the beginning but it's far from comedy. It has a dark sci-fi feel to it and even the colour scheme supports the athmosphere. While the story may not be the most original one, the execution is unique. Don't know any of the actors (famous or first timers?) but acting was satisfactory. Effects served the story. In a nutshell, if you like movies with a spooky feel give this one a try.

D:!!!

[ccmedel · 3/10 · 17 June 2018]

I don't understand how many people find this movie a good one. I have to stop it at 30 minutes, and that's a thing that I almost never do... too many nonsenses

Twilight Zone ala Mexico

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 28 June 2020]

If this movie is any indication, Isaac Ezban is a writer and director to watch. He was inspired by The Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" and the color palette of 2009's The Box, as this has a muted look that is unlike anything I've seen recently. It's a movie that takes a somewhat silly conceit - every person in a bus station starts to look alike - and makes it amazingly taunt and shocking.

Ulises is stranded in a bus station during a rainstorm and the Tlatelolco riots of 1968. His wife is in Mexico City, ready to give birth and he must get there to see her. However, it seems like the storm is a worldwide phenomenon.

After speaking with Irene, the twosome decides to grab a taxi together. Ulises asks an old woman if she'd like to join them, but she angrily replies in a foreign language. At the same time, a cleaning lady demands that Rosa not leave before succumbing to an epileptic fit.

Meanwhile, as more people arrive, the man who runs the station screams that everything is Ulises's fault before trying to kill him. And oh yeah - there's a mysterious child named Igancio who must continually be shot up with sedatives.

At this point, the film reveals its crucial conceit: everyone begins to turn into Ulises, even the women, the magazines, the statues, everything has started to transform into him. Ignacio shows him a comic book about aliens who steal humanity's individuality without them ever knowing. Somehow, the child has caused this comic book fiction to become fact.

I really don't want to reveal much more, but suffice to say that this movie really stuck with me. I can't wait to see what Ezban does next.

I have seen many films in my day...

[elygpc-03524 · 1/10 · 25 November 2018]

Watch it for yourself, make up your own opinion, my personal 2 cents on the film... not really worth it.

The scariest part of the experience was that, up to this point i had never EVER contemplated shooting a freakin brat and i have seen the original twilight zone episode the kid was based off of, not scary, very annoying film, honestly expected better from the director, alas there is always the next one.

A Strange Day

[olcayozfirat · 6/10 · 27 February 2022]

A very interesting and occasionally funny sci-fi/thriller. The movie was shot in black and white. Heavy rain and storm is also about the strange events that happen to the passengers and station employees who are stuck in a bus station.

--- spoilers ---

In rainy weather, several passengers are waiting for the bus to arrive at the bus terminal. But the bus cannot come due to weather conditions. They can't exit the terminal either. There is news on the radio that the storm has affected the whole world. There is an old Indian woman inside, no one understands her language. There are two men, two women and an autistic little child as passengers. There is also a box office worker, a cleaning lady and a janitor. Over time, mysterious deaths begin inside. Everyone blames each other. More interesting events unfold as the movie progresses.

--- spoilers ---

It is an interesting movie with a different plot and strange events.

Warning

[ripthejacker-1 · 1/10 · 26 March 2018]

This movie make me wanna quit my Netflix subscription. Don't waste your time.

Similarities.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 8/10 · 1 February 2018]

To properly kick off my 2018 movie viewings after being ill for a good part of January,I decided to finally see the titles in my Netflix saved list that I've most anticipated viewing. Reading Kim Newman's Video Dungeon's page in Empire magazine a few months ago,I found out about a fascinating-sounding Mexican Twilight zone-style movie. Looking on Amazon UK,I was surprised to find that it had come out on disc in the US,but not the UK. Not being sure how to see the film,I was happy to stumble upon it on Netflix UK,which led me finding out how similar things can be.

The plot-

Mexico 1968:

Wanting to get out of a storm, Ulises goes to a cavernous bus station. Getting little help from the warden, (who is to retire in two weeks) Ulises finds a payphone and gets the news that his wife has successful given birth. Waiting for the storm to clear,Ulises hears on the radio fears of there being something unusual about the rain. Greeting fellow guests to the bus station,Uliese is horrified to find each guest slowly transform into looking just like him.

View on the film:

Drenched in the unsettling eerie atmosphere of The Twilight zone, writer/director Isaac Ezban & cinematographer Isi Sarfati give their journey to the outer limits its own angles via deep,black and white-monochrome corridor shots being covered with pelts of rain,and the transformations into various Ulises being unveiled with a macabre streak. Back by a fittingly thunderous score from Edy Lan,Ezban wisely limits the fallout in the outside world to crackles on the radio,which are piled on the hopelessness being felt in the bus station.

Drawing on 50's Sci-Fi Comics as a major plot device, the screenplay by Ezban has the shadow of the Tlatelolco massacre linger over the bus shelter,and giving the tale an urgency,as government paranoia feeds into the transformations. Unwillingly becoming the focus of suspicion, Gustavo Sánchez Parra gives a great performance as the anxious, sweating with fear Ulises,who sees a hard rain fall on all their similar daily routines.

FUNNY AND SILLY YET SCARY AND ENTERTAINING

[Saanwithhisstupidthoughts · 7/10 · 18 May 2021]

A variety movie that has a laughable script but once the movie ends it won't feel funny to you anymore

I watched it thinking it was a full on horror movie but what I got was a good mystery SCIFI thriller with a hint of horror

I didn't find any faults to pick at

The BGM helps in backing up the tense and mystery environment

ACTING everyone was convincing especially ignacious

PACING not bad keeps you focused and guessing till the end without any boredom

PLOT silly and funny but intriguing

Definitely gives you that classic Hollywood mystery thriller vibes.

Ni siquiera siendo gratis valdrían la pena los 90 minutos

[Miallari · 1/10 · 17 May 2021]

Cinefotografía anticuada, sonido decente, arte mediocre, sub-actuada y sub-dirigida. Adecuada para preadolescentes. No merece una reseña más detallada.