“Great Mastery”: Rated 4 out of 5 The Revenant director’s first film returns to theaters after 25 years.

On its 25th anniversary, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s first feature film Dog Loves hits theaters. Released in 2000, this shocking film marks the Mexican director’s sensational debut, which would be followed by 21 Grams in 2003, Babel in 2006, Birdman in 2014 and The Revenant in 2016.

Iñárritu’s career has since been marked by awards: 7 Academy Award nominations (4 of which he won), 5 Golden Globe nominations (3 of which he won), and a total of 32 Oscar nominations for all six of his films, totaling 8 statues. In 2006, he also became the first Mexican filmmaker to win the Best Director Award at Cannes.

Woman Dog Loves is also the first collaboration between Iñárritu and Gael García Bernal, who made his film debut there. The two men meet again a few years later in Babylon.

In this ensemble drama, Bernal plays Octavio, a teenager ready to run away with his brother’s wife. His fate intersects with Daniel, a forty-year-old teenager who leaves his family to become a top model, and El Chivo, a former guerrilla turned disillusioned killer. Their trajectories suddenly collide in Mexico when a tragic car accident seals their lives.

To celebrate the revival of this classic, rediscover the press reviews from the time:

According to La Parisien:

“Strong, full-bodied, violent and, from start to finish, a fantastically controlled picture. Driven to death and in which human nature has no hope, ‘Amours chiennes’ reveals a filmmaker as gifted as his TNT film.” By Pierre Vavasour – 5/5

According to Cplanet.com:

“As paradoxical as it may seem for a director coming from advertising and television, Amours Chiennes is already perfectly mastered and does not suffer from excessive stylistic effects.“By Philip Skrein – 5/5

According to the Prime Minister:

“Thanks to a staging whose mastery is all the more remarkable as a first attempt, our Mexican upstart sets a feverish style that shatters the framework of abject and silly naturalism.“By Olivier de Bruyne – 5/5

According to Aden:

“A poised and masterful debut feature, one of the great finds of the recent Cannes festival.” By Philip Piazzo – 5/5

According to Cinopsis.com:

“(…) This film is simply an amazing discovery, which, due to the originality of its construction and plot, is, in turn, a realistic drama, an absurd comedy or even a psychological thriller. By Sylvie Jacque – 4/5

According to Le Monde:

“The great interest of this first feature film lies in how the author will play on this double virtuosity, script and direction, without limiting himself.By Jean-Michel Frodon – 4/5

According to L’Obs:

“The film is like a sound and color postcard, on which we forget to write nonsense, which serves to inform, to let people hear, watch, feel.” Author Pascal Merijo – 4/5

According to Les Echos:

“Painting, electric, this film is received as a violent, painful blow. But it fascinates me with its density, the severity of violence, suffering and, at the same time, compassion for all its characters.” by Annie Koperman – 4/5

Loves female dogs It’s currently in theaters.