Globo436 Review of Whisky Romeo Zulu

Whisky Romeo Zulu (2004)

Chilling since it's based on a true situation - highly recommended

[10/10 · 10 September 2006]

Although I give the director (and lead actor) Enrique Pineyro some creative license to include a "love interest," this is an engrossing and shocking film that exposes a real airline run by the Argentine air force (LAPA, and thank god they are no longer around) that sacrifices safety in order to save money and look good. The result of their mismanagement and flagrant disregard for safety, maintenance, and their pilots themselves was the fatal crash in 1999 on a street just a few feet from the downtown Buenos Aires airport. Filmed realistically on location, the film tells the story of a "whistle-blower" pilot (played by Pineyro himself, who was actually once a LAPA pilot)who won't compromise on safety but it mortified by what he is told to do and cover up. Pineyro's second film, "Fuerza Aerea S.A." (which I saw yesterday) is a sort of a sequel, but a documentary that deals with the problem of the air force overseeing civil aviation in Argentina. Both films have caused quite a stir and is equally chilling. Last night I read that this is being changed, directly because of Pineyro's film. Both are well worth watching, but unfortunately not released in the US yet. Highly recommended.