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Too much of everything

Powerful

Good concept, poorly executed.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It's a shame that such fantastic cinema goes to waste; not only because it got overrun by huge blockbusters, but in this case, as with almost every single non-English-language film, it gets doubly ignored due to peoples' seeming allergy to reading subtitles. Palabras Encadenadas, which technically translates to "word chains" in Spanish, gets the US title Killing Words, because, not only would the original title hold less meaning to an American audience, but a title with the word "killing" in it gives it, potentially, much more power, than what sounds like a kid's game. But that is exactly the sinister charm that this film pulls off beautifully. Ramón, played by Dario Grandinetti (Habla con Ella), appears to be a decently charming man who just so happens to be experimenting, all the while showing the audience step-by-step, with his first "adventures" in becoming a serial killer. Word Chains, is indeed, a child's game, but when conducted by Ramón, the stakes only become increasingly fiendish and inescapable as time goes on. The first thing we see as the audience, is Ramón's character speaking directly to us (i.e. seeming to break the 4th wall), but as the camera pans out, it is revealed that we are watching Ramón watch a video recording which he recorded of himself confessing/conferring with/to his potential audience about his burgeoning "talents" as a killer. He openly brags about how easy it has been to gain a potential victim's trust, and exactly how he has conducted these first few murders. Once he has what he feels is enough confidence in his newfound skills, he sets out to target the one person he would love to torture and kill most of all: his ex-wife. Psychologists, such as Wayne Wilson, would say that certain serial killers, like Edmund Kemper (aka the Co-Ed Killer) keep killing their victims – sometimes unwittingly – as substitutes for their ultimate target. It seems that we are witnessing the birth of that very kind of serial killer in the character of Ramón.The ex-wife, Laura, played exquisitely by Goya Toledo (Amores Perros), is then subjected to intense psychological torture by Ramón as he keeps her tied down to chair, and insists that she play word chains with him. Slight disclaimer: the words they say as part of the game aren't necessarily what is said in Spanish – obviously, everything that rhymes in one language isn't going to rhyme in another. So, please bear that in mind if you are coming into this film with absolutely no knowledge of Spanish. The subtitles, however, are done in such a way that capture the essence and nuances of the specific words they are using. As Ramón gleefully keeps his ex-wife prisoner, he rants and boasts of his newfound "hobby". Laura, being a psychologist, desperately tries to find cracks in his statements. Is Ramón actually a cold-blooded killer willing to torture and kill his own ex-wife? Or is he just lonely, delusional, and scared, crying out to be noticed by his former love abandoning him?

One of the best thrillers I have ever seen. This film keeps you captivated until the very last frame. Darío Grandinetti is truly chilling as Ramón. Goya Toledo as Laura is superb as well. Portrayals of the mind of a killer simply don't get better than this. This film avoids every Hollywood cliché you could imagine. Everything that happens in this film is cohesive. Nothing outrageous is added just for thrills. This is such a smart film. Truly great writing and directing on display here. This is another amazing example of how superior foreign made thrillers are compared to American thrillers. Don't miss this if you ever get the chance to see this Spanish gem. Beautifully done!

It appears that I am the first American to review this masterpiece. If so, I cannot agree more with the others who recognized the excellence of this film. In a time when plot twists are so formulaic and derivative, Killing Words shows that there us still room for a well-developed, intelligently-written story. A nod should go to the editing of work. At more than a dozen points in the development of the plot, there Might have been an opportunity for the viewer to pause and reason through where the story was headed. But the flashbacks were so well place that the viewer was kept off-guard. One reviewer correctly noted that this piece is a prime candidate for a redo by and American studio. I hope not. The style and grace of this movie could be easily ruined.

Truly magnificent effort by all involved. I haven't seen a psychological thriller this good since the Silence of the Lambs. Dario Grandinetti's chilling portrayal of a seemingly psychotic serial killer is engrossing, evocative, amusing at times and too surreal it becomes terrifying. A flawless performance, his on-screen presence captured your attention refusing to let go, not even for a moment.His performance is equalled by Goya Toledo, whose stunning portrayal of Dario's wife, his both smart, sexy and strong.The writing and direction were also top-notch; developing the multi-dimensional characters full of depth, excellent cinematography, playing off the rival husband and wife against each other, etc.There seriously was not one fault with this film. A Must see!!!10/10