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A definitive 5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Brides of Sulu remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you’re a total completist for 1930s cinema or have a weirdly specific interest in how filmmakers portrayed island life a century ago. If you want fast-paced action or snappy dialogue, stay far, far away. This is a slow burn that mostly just... burns out.
It’s not for the casual viewer. It’s for the person who spends their Sunday afternoon hunting down really old, scratched-up prints of movies that were probably forgotten for a good reason. If you need something polished, you’re gonna hate it.
The whole thing feels like it’s being held together by duct tape and hope. You’ve got Adelina Moreno and Eduardo Castro trying to sell this Romeo and Juliet thing on an island, but the chemistry is... well, it’s mostly just them standing near each other looking concerned.
There’s a weird stillness to the scenes. Like the actors are waiting for the director to yell 'cut' five seconds before he actually does. It’s charming in a 'wow, this is from 1934' kind of way, but it doesn't exactly grip you.
Watching this made me think of The Monster Walks, which came out around the same era. At least that one leaned into the spooky stuff. Brides of Sulu tries to be this grand, sweeping romantic epic but it feels like a stage play that wandered onto a beach by accident.
The pacing is rough. There’s a segment where they’re tracking the lovers that feels like it lasts for a decade. I checked my phone three times. Still, there's a certain sincerity here that you just don't get in modern blockbusters. It’s not 'good' in the traditional sense, but it’s definitely something.
Don't expect a masterpiece. Just expect a very, very old movie that’s trying its best with a limited budget and a lot of sand. Sometimes that’s enough. Usually, it’s not. 🏝️