Nasu Summer in Andalusia Review – 70/100

Nasu – Summer in Andalusia was a fine example to demonstrate the flaws of the .mp4-format. At random times, it likes to cause the screen to freeze because of the lag. In my case, it was right before the climax. I didn’t really like that.

In any case, this 40-minute movie is a sports-movie about pro-cycling. It’s not about the giants who battle against each other, no. It’s about a nobody who tries to win an etappe. This nobody (or Pepe) works for a group who hasn’t been doing too well. They haven’t won anything for the entire season, and now they face a breach of contract with their sponsor. Pepe is seen as the major problem in this, as he’s got a small temper, which doesn’t work too well with their main cyclist: Gilmore. This etappe basically is the last chance for the group in order to stay alive, and it’s up to Gilmore to win it. Pepe’s role is to help him do this.

Pepe also has some extra motivation to perform, as the finish lies in his home-town. During this movie, we get some nice background commentary from the people he grew up with. His brother, who also got married on the same day, his new sister-in-law, his uncle and a couple of other friends. Especially these friends were very interesting to watch. They never knew what’s going on inside Pepe’s group, so they were just celebrating his performances.

What follows is a set of unique opportunities which drive Pepe to the finish. Overall, I had to say that the tension which was created worked pretty well. Still, there’s one major disadvantage with this movie. Everything just feels too much directed. Most of the story elements worked pretty natural, though at the times in which the creators got stuck, they used Deus ex Machina in order to keep Pepe in the right tracks. The climax also could never happen in real life. Still, despite these flaws, I have to admit that I had a good time watching this. A sports fan will probably like it.