DELTA

Director: Kornel Mundruczo

Review By: Robert Sabetto

Mihail (Felix Lajko) is a young man who returns to the remote town in Romania where he was born.  He misses his father’s burial, apparently by years: his mother—- or is she his step-mother?—- is married to someone else.  Mihail meets Fauna (Orsi Toth), the sister—- or is she the half-sister?—- he never knew he had.  The townies don’t take kindly to outsiders, so Mihail sets out to build a house away from them down the delta.  Fauna develops a “thing” for Mihail, and offers to live with him and help build the house.  One thing leads to another, and the pair become involved.  Biblically.  This riles the disgust of the townies, who don’t take kindly to sexual weirdness, either. 

Delta is dark.  Crammed with uncomfortable moments, it depicts the worst of humanity: groupthink, righteousness, vengeance, brutality.  Despite its potential for an intense film, Mundruczo’s subject matter is far more compelling than his treatment of it.  Scenes that add nothing to the plot go on way too long.  Dialogue is sparse, which isn't bad in itself.  The problem is that too often, the action is obscured by long shots or it occurs off camera, making it difficult to tell exactly what’s happening.  Sadly, the story gets histrionic and predictable about half-way through.  Delta reads better on paper than it plays out on screen. 

That said, Delta is not without merit.  Lajko and Toth give decent performances.  Lili Monori as the mother steals the show.  The scenic shots of the water are stunning, and the poignant score is pretty damned mesmerizing.  As a painting or a soundtrack, Delta would be first rate.