The plot of the gorgeous Mexican film “Alamar” — a father-son vacation — isn’t what Hollywood calls “high concept.” But thanks to director-cinematographer-editor Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio, the film might be called “high enjoyment.”
Five-year-old Natan’s Italian mother is about to take him to live in Rome. But before he goes off to “civilization,” his Mexican dad, Jorge — “part Johnny Depp, part Peter Pan,” according to the press notes — takes him on a magical trip to the Banco Chinchorro coral reef in the Caribbean.
With the help of an elderly fisherman, Jorge (Jorge Machado) teaches Natan (Natan Machado Palombini) the art of living in the wild, with crocodiles as companions.
Dialogue is kept to a minimum. The director lets his camera do the talking as it records father and son bonding against the background of stunningly beautiful turquoise water.