‘El Conde’ Review: A Bloody Reimagination of the Chilean Dictator

Death is not unfamiliar to Augusto Pinochet, the vampire (Jaime Vadell). This time, however, Augusto decided to actually face death by depriving himself of necessary nutritions. He’s seen it all already: He was front row at the French Revolution, was the sole dictator of Chile for years, and has accumulated more than enough wealth for everyone in his family. Surrounded by ungrateful allies blaming him for his decisions, Pinochet decides it’s time to die.

In the horror comedy “El Conde,” director Pablo Larraín reimagines Augusto Pinochet as a blood-hungry vampire, haunting Chile long after his reign. It’s not the first time Larraín has fictionalized historical figures: His 2016 film “Jackie” centers the first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and his recent project “Spencer” explores Princess Diana’s life. “El Conde” stands out, however, because it concerns a history that is intertwined with Larraín’s own life and upbringing.

Pinochet’s dictatorship is a wound that has yet to heal in the national history of Chile, and while the Chilean director has addressed the subject in his earlier movies, El Conde” is his most direct approach.

His personal stance on the subject inspires the very way the film is constructed: “We're not going to make a realistic story, because the realistic version could trigger empathy, and that is very dangerous,” Larraín told Time. Therefore, Larraín imagines a time in vampire Pinochet’s life after his reign when his children are fighting for their inheritances and his wife is cheating on him with his closest servant. This setting — coupled with the classical music score and black-and-white cinematography — makes for a surreal viewing.

The plot of the film is particularly absurd: It opens as a coming-of-age story, making historical references here and there before introducing us to the present state of Pinochet. A nun that is fluent in mathematics, exorcism, and seduction then appears, followed by the outlandish introduction of a prominent British political figure. Like any movie that manages to sustain their audience’s attention, little pieces of information are given out carefully throughout the film to complete the picture only at the end. But while these sudden revelations might be satisfying, and seeing the rich and powerful struggle might be funny, the film lacks an emotional core that truly connects the audience to what’s on the screen. Ironically, just as the director intended, it’s hardly possible to empathize with any of the film’s characters, so the most one can expect to get out of “El Conde” is simply amusement from its suspenseful plot or surface-level reflections on its central themes.

Though certainly a creative choice, Larraín’s decision to shoot in black and white softens the impact of the violence of the film and causes it to feel like a mystery film or family drama. For instance, there are scenes where vampires hunt people and turn their heart into a rejuvenating smoothie. These scenes do not evoke as much unease and bodily horror as they could if the movie was done in color. By making the film black and white, “El Conde” highlights the undying presence of the dictator. However, the digital black and white coloring does not quite mirror the authenticity of older black and white films, nor the gritty expressionism of works like “Dracula” (1931). Overall, while it adds a surreal and absurd feel to the film, the choice of black and white cinematography does not feel particularly meaningful or useful.

Most importantly, as a satire, “El Conde” seems to be interested in addressing societal problems by depicting absurd situations and relationships. However, the film’s satirical elements only function effectively on a higher level, as many of the individual jokes and scenes begin to feel rather superficial and repetitive as the film progresses. Not one character is likable and they are all just after money they did not earn; but precisely for that reason, it’s hard to become invested in the characters or plot of “El Conde” or approach the film with an attitude beyond disinterested curiosity.

While “El Conde” might be an interesting mix of genres and ideas that provokes thoughts about history it’s far from what it aspires to be. While it is indeed possible to approach such a project from a very subjective and specific point of view, it feels just as important to make sure the story is compelling on more than a superficial level, something that Larraín does not effectively do.