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Thriller

4x4 (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

4x4 (2019) movie poster

4x4 is a 2019 thriller directed by Mariano Cohn, starring Peter Lanzani as Ciro, Dady Brieva and Luis Brandoni. It runs 1 hour 27 minutes and earned $1.3 million worldwide on a $3 million budget. Its Echo Score is 88/100.

worldwide gross
$1.3M
Echo Score
88
budget
$3M
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4x4 (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 27m (87 min)
Director
Mariano Cohn
Genre
Thriller
Original language
Spanish
Studio
Mediapro
Budget
$3M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is 4x4 About?

The premise of 4x4 without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A luxurious van sits parked on a Buenos Aires sidewalk, seemingly ordinary. However, when a man enters with the intent to steal, his plans quickly derail. He finds himself trapped inside—the doors won't open, and the control panel is unresponsive. The van has become an inescapable armored box, leaving him to figure out how to escape his predicament.

4x4 Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • bare chested male
  • barefoot male
  • barefoot on the street
  • trapped in a car
  • bald man
  • violence
  • airbag
  • gun in mouth
  • tennis ball
  • repetition in title
  • entrapment
  • antihero
+38 more
  • trap
  • locked in
  • locked in a car
  • security system
  • unconventional car
  • male star appears shirtless
  • thief as protagonist
  • theft
  • criminal
  • criminal as protagonist
  • urination
  • urinating in a car
  • urine
  • locked door
  • failed expectation
  • arm injury
  • gunshot
  • shooting
  • shooting oneself in the leg
  • shot in the leg
  • blood
  • blood on hands
  • taking off shirt
  • accidentally shooting oneself in the leg
  • drinking from a bottle
  • wound
  • cricket
  • sleeping shirtless
  • sleeping in a car
  • thirst
  • listening to a car radio
  • listening to music
  • listening to music in a car
  • singing in a car
  • chamber thriller
  • telephone call
  • bulletproof glass
  • bulletproof car
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Cast & crew

4x4 Cast & Characters

Peter Lanzani leads the cast as Ciro, with Dady Brieva as Dr. Enrique Ferrari and Luis Brandoni as Amadeo. Directed by Mariano Cohn; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in 4x4

· 6 more
From the director

More from Mariano Cohn

More films directed by Mariano Cohn, best-rated first: Official Competition, 4x4, All About Asado and The Distinguished Citizen.

Full filmography
Ratings

4x4 Reviews & Ratings

Our Echo Score gives it 88/100, strongest in character & emotion (90) and weakest in story & flow (80).

88 /100

4x4 Echo Score Breakdown

4x4 delivers a tightly wound, single-location thriller that sustains tension throughout its 90-minute run. Critics highlight the inventive staging, focused direction, and a standout performance that anchors the narrative, while the story’s claustrophobic premise raises compelling moral questions. Minor criticisms note an overly dramatic finale, but the overall experience remains gripping and memorable. The film’s strengths outweigh its few flaws, resulting in a highly engaging watch.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 88

    ART: The film’s direction maintains a relentless pace within the confined setting, using tight framing and purposeful camera movement to amplify claustrophobia. Cinematography employs a muted palette that enhances tension, while production design maximizes the limited space to feel both oppressive and functional. Editing keeps scenes crisp, preventing stagnation and reinforcing the thriller’s momentum.

  • Character & Emotion 90

    CHARACTER: Peter Lanzani’s performance anchors the film, navigating a spectrum from disbelief to dawning horror with nuanced subtlety. Supporting actors contribute credible tension, allowing the characters’ moral ambiguity to emerge within the confined scenario. The emotional resonance stems from deliberate pacing, granting viewers time to absorb the characters’ psychological shifts, though limited screen time restricts deeper development.

  • Story & Flow 80

    STORY: The narrative centers on a high-stakes confinement that propels a relentless cat-and-mouse dynamic, sustaining engagement through measured pacing. Plot twists and moral dilemmas add layers of intrigue, while the claustrophobic premise sharpens tension. Some reviewers note the climax veers into over-dramatic territory, slightly diluting the otherwise coherent and inventive storyline.

  • Sensory Experience 85

    SENSORY: Sound design emphasizes the oppressive silence broken by sudden auditory cues, heightening audience anxiety within the car’s cramped interior. The visual style relies on low-key lighting and close-up framing to reinforce the sense of entrapment. Though the score remains understated, it punctuates key moments, contributing to an immersive, tension-driven sensory experience.

  • Rewatch Factor 82

    REWATCH: The film’s compact structure and relentless tension create a compelling viewing that rewards repeat watches, as subtle details in performance and staging reveal new nuances. While the single-location setting may limit narrative expansion, the crafted suspense and moral complexity sustain interest on subsequent viewings, making it a thriller that retains its grip over time.

Plot

4x4 Plot Summary

What happens in 4x4 from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Ciro, portrayed by Peter Lanzani, finds himself in a perilous and bizarre situation while wandering through a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. His curiosity is piqued by an SUV, which he decides to break into. In an act of desperation and defiance, he proceeds to steal various items, including the stereo, and even vandalizes the vehicle. His thrill quickly turns into panic as he realizes the doors won’t budge when he attempts to escape. As Ciro frantically rips off the door panels trying to get out, he injures himself while reaching for the lock mechanism, and his attempts to shoot through the bulletproof windshield only result in ricocheting bullets that injure him further.

Full summary

The whole story of 4x4, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

4x4 Box Office & Budget

4x4 grossed $1.3 million worldwide on a $3 million budget, 43% of what it cost.

2019 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.3M

43% of its budget back

International
$1.3M
Budget
$3M
Videos

4x4 Trailers & Videos

The trailer of 4x4.

4X4 - Official Trailer - Directed by Mariano Cohn
Quiz

How Well Do You Know 4x4?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the main character who breaks into the SUV?

Cars

Cars in 4x4

10 cars on screen, including the 2015 Toyota SW4 and the 2017 Mercedes-Benz Accelo 815.

All 10 cars
  • 2015 Toyota SW4 in 4x4 2015 Toyota SW4 Featured role
  • 2017 Mercedes-Benz Accelo 815 in 4x4 2017 Mercedes-Benz Accelo 815 Minor role
  • 2011 Peugeot 3008 in 4x4 2011 Peugeot 3008 Minor role
  • 2018 Peugeot 408 in 4x4 2018 Peugeot 408 Minor role
Details

4x4 Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “Мышеловка” and “4x4危機四伏”.

Also known as
  • Мышеловка
  • 4x4危機四伏
  • 4X4瘋鎖
  • Auto pułapka
  • 4x4: SUV smrti

Seen 4x4?

FAQ

4x4 FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, post-credit scenes and language of 4x4, each answered in a sentence.

How long is 4x4?

4x4 runs 1 hour 27 minutes (87 minutes).

When was 4x4 released?

4x4 was released on April 4, 2019.

Who directed 4x4?

4x4 was directed by Mariano Cohn.

More films by Mariano Cohn

Who is in the cast of 4x4?

4x4 stars Peter Lanzani as Ciro, Dady Brieva as Dr. Enrique Ferrari and Luis Brandoni as Amadeo, among 10 credited actors.

How much did 4x4 make at the box office?

4x4 grossed $1.3 million worldwide on a budget of $3 million.

Does 4x4 have a post-credit scene?

No. 4x4 has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is 4x4 in?

The original language of 4x4 is Spanish.

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