THE HEROES OF EVIL/ LOS HEROES DEL MAL

Spain, 2015, 98 minutes, Colour.
Emelio Palacios, Jorge Clemente, Beatriz Medina.
Directed by Zoe Berriatua.

A very depressing portrait of teenagers in the second decade of the 21st-century. The film is well-made, well-acted, and disturbing.

At the centre is a school student, Aritz (Jorge Clemente) who seems to have something of a death wish. He laughs at tauntors at school, ridiculing bullies. However, there is a sympathetic student, Esteban (Emelio Palacios). He befriends Aritz who seems reluctant but eventually is more than eager to bond with Esteban. There is a complication with girls, especially with a rather self-sufficient, Sarita (Beatriz Medina). She and Esteban form an attachment and Aritz feels himself somewhat left out.

The three decide that they will defy all authorities and call themselves Heroes of Evil.

The film shows some of their reckless escapades, the ups and downs of the relationship, Aritz eventually feeling somewhat alienated, threatening to kill people who oppose him, Esteban finally deciding that Aritz should die, and while he agrees to a competition in taking pills, he spits his out, while Aritz eventually dies. There is some sympathy for Esteban and Sarita in their characters – but Artiz and his death with a quite nihilistic.

1. The title, the group, self-styled, motivations, living it out?

2. The Spanish settings, the city, the school, streets, the buildings and surroundings? The musical score?

3. School, the teacher and her dominance, and the later brutality and humiliation by Aritz? His sitting at the back of a room, his being mocked, his laughing in the face of mockery, Raul and his leadership and gain, Esteban and his defence, Aritz not wanting defence?

4. Aritz as a character, his age, his story about his stepfather, the mysterious background? His character, death wish? His inner rage and violence? Against society, threatening to kill those who upset him? The eruption of the violence?

5. Esteban, his character, tough, difficulties at home, defending Aritz, their bonding, friendship, wanting to help Aritz, girls, the presence of Sarita, her becoming part of the group? Her character, tough, yet studying, helping Esteban, their cheating in the exam?

6. Raul and his talents, the confrontations, Aritz and his death wish, Esteban and the confrontation? The success?

7. The bonding, the nature of the friendship, the sexual dimension, Sarita and her attraction towards Esteban, not towards Aritz? His reaction, his wanting to be part of the threesome of the group? The emergence of the later latent homosexual tendencies? Their becoming stronger, the end and his dependence on Esteban? Esteban unable to respond
in that way?

8. Esteban taking him to the prostitutes, the prostitutes mocking Aritz? His story of the later return and killing the prostitute, saying that he left Esteban’s keychain – but returning it to him at the end?

9. Aritz, his growing bitterness, being by himself, seeking out Esteban? The drugs? Esteban concerned about the death of the prostitute?

10. Aritz, suicidal, taking the drugs, urging Esteban to match him, Esteban spitting the tablets into the bottle, Aritz realising this, his final desperation, Esteban leading him to his death, Sarita arriving? Aritz and his final collapse and death?

11. A portrait of Spanish teenagers, unsympathetic, some sympathy, their behaviour, attitudes, a grim portrait?