The Immortal (2019)
Story overview
The Immortal (2019) is an Italian crime thriller that follows Ciro, a hardened assassin exiled from his criminal organization. After reuniting with his mentor Bruno, Ciro navigates a new chapter of gang warfare while grappling with traumatic memories of loss from his past as an orphan in Naples' underworld. The film weaves between his brutal childhood and present-day criminal activities, exploring themes of survival, loyalty, and the psychological toll of violence in a world where 'immortality' becomes a form of damnation.
Parent Guide
Mature crime thriller with intense violence, criminal themes, and psychological trauma. Not suitable for viewers under 17 due to graphic content and mature subject matter.
Content breakdown
Frequent and graphic gang violence including shootings, stabbings, beatings, and assassinations. Scenes of organized crime activities, confrontations between rival gangs, and violent flashbacks to childhood trauma in criminal underworld.
Disturbing themes of childhood trauma, loss of family, psychological damage from violence. Scenes depicting the cruel underworld of organized crime, moral ambiguity, and characters with nothing left to lose. Flashbacks to traumatic orphan experiences.
Strong profanity throughout including Italian curse words (subtitled in English). Criminal slang and aggressive dialogue typical of gangster films.
Some sexual references and suggestive situations in criminal underworld settings. Brief scenes in clubs/bars with sexualized environments. No explicit nudity shown.
Frequent smoking, drinking in social/criminal settings. Some drug references and implied drug use within criminal contexts. Characters shown drinking alcohol in bars and during criminal meetings.
High emotional intensity dealing with trauma, loss, betrayal, and moral conflict. Characters grapple with devastating memories and psychological damage. Themes of survival in brutal environments and the psychological cost of violence.
Parent tips
This film contains intense gang violence, criminal activities, and psychological trauma. Not suitable for children under 17. Contains graphic violence, strong language, and mature themes about organized crime. The film explores dark psychological territory including trauma, loss, and moral ambiguity in criminal underworlds.
Parent chat guide
Parent follow-up questions
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- What did you think about how the film showed the consequences of criminal life?
- How did Ciro's childhood trauma affect his adult decisions?
- What message do you think the film was trying to send about violence and 'immortality'?
- How realistic do you think the portrayal of organized crime was in this film?
🎭 Story Kernel
At its core, 'The Immortal' explores the psychological toll of immortality, not as a gift but as a curse of endless repetition. The protagonist, a centuries-old vampire, is driven not by bloodlust but by profound existential boredom. His quest to find meaning leads him to manipulate human lives like chess pieces, creating elaborate dramas just to feel something. The film argues that without death to give life urgency and consequence, existence becomes a hollow, performative loop. The supporting characters serve as mirrors to his stagnation—their mortal passions and brief lifespans highlighting his emotional atrophy. Ultimately, the movie suggests that true 'immortality' might be found in the legacy of impact on others, not in biological permanence.
🎬 Visual Aesthetics
The film employs a desaturated, cool color palette dominated by blues and grays, visually mirroring the protagonist's emotional detachment. Cinematography favors static, symmetrical compositions that make the world feel like a museum diorama he's trapped within. Action sequences are deliberately slow and balletic, emphasizing the vampire's effortless, almost bored superiority over frantic human opponents. Key symbolism appears through recurring shots of clocks with frozen hands and reflections in windows that sometimes show his younger self—visual metaphors for his stalled existence. The rare moments of warm, golden lighting are reserved for flashbacks to his human life, creating a stark visual contrast between vitality and his current living death.
🔍 Details & Easter Eggs
💡 Behind the Scenes
Lead actor Marco D'Amore performed all his own stunt work, including the elaborate single-take nightclub fight scene that required three days of choreography. The film was shot entirely on location in Turin, Italy, using its foggy, Baroque architecture to enhance the timeless atmosphere. Director Gabriele Salvatores insisted on practical effects for the vampire's aging makeup, which took four hours daily to apply. Interestingly, the script was originally a contemporary adaptation of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' before evolving into an original vampire narrative during development.
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Trailer
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