Movie Review: The Fantastic Golem Affairs

In a year that saw a reboot of classic Zucker Abrahams Zucker comedy The Naked Gun turn out to be one of its funniest films, it makes sense that a gag from one of their other movies, Top Secret!, serves as the jumping off point for what may be one of 2025’s more unique cinematic experiences. The Spanish filmmaking duo known as Burnin’ Percebes, comprised of Juan González and Fernando Martínez, took inspiration from a gif of a German soldier falling from a tower and then shattering into pieces, intended in the original movie to make fun of cheap production tactics. Here, they instead spin that brief moment out into an absurdist examination of codependence, companionship, and fate to entertaining effect.

Friends Juan (Brays Efe) and David (David Menéndez) are playing movie-themed charades on the roof of Juan’s apartment building when David takes the game a bit too far, stripping nude and dancing along the ledge. Unsurprisingly, he falls off. More unexpected however is that he shatters into pieces upon landing on a vehicle parked below. Juan is surprised by this development and sets about trying to determine what happened. In the meantime, at the company responsible for determining how people will die, the algorithm is malfunctioning and assigning everyone a death by falling piano. The two situations prove to be linked and Juan finds himself stuck trying to solve both, and perhaps finally growing up a little in the process.

Coming off like an Iberian blend of Wes Anderson, Jared Hess, and Julio Torres, this odd little film is a surprising delight. The comedy is mostly of the constant bemusement variety though it does sometimes inspire one to laugh at loud or even audibly gasp as the twisty plot winds along its journey. The lo-fi but meticulously arranged aesthetic suits the nature of the story perfectly, upping the off-kilter tone, as does the pleasantly toe-tapping music by Sergio Bertrán and the Golem All Stars.

The casting is impeccable and it’s a pleasant surprise to see Javier Botet appearing as something different from the monstrous beings he is famous for in horror movies like [REC] and Alien: Covenant. These developmentally stunted adults feel very much of the time and watching (most) of them get to grow, even if it is only minimally, is a satisfying experience.

The movie could have perhaps benefitted from leaning even harder into its weirdest impulses, but it’s still a compellingly odd tale. Given the title, you’ll probably be able to figure out one of the core mysteries pretty quickly, though this inventive story finds ways to surprise you regardless. That González and Martínez are able to so smoothly mix commentary on loneliness, societal acceptance, capitalism, destiny, and even the very nature of life and death into their mélange of weird, silly, and crude humor is a feat in itself; that it all adds up to a visually striking, satisfying, and genuinely entertaining ride is all the more impressive. ★★★★