A parked car on a quiet street in Bueno Aires is too exposed not to attract the attention of a marauder in search of easy money. Ciro (Peter Lanzani), the thief, manages to get inside the vehicle without too much effort, but he should have suspected how strange that the break-in was so simple. He instead focuses on extracting the audio equipment and searching the glove box for something valuable. If stealing wasn’t enough, Ciro leaves a humiliating gift for the owner: he pisses on the back seat.

It’s when he tries to exit the vehicle that his problems begin: the car’s a mouse trap, and he fell for it. His battery’s cell phone dies before he can make a call, and he can’t cry for help because no one will see or hear him: the vehicle is soundproof with tinted glass, and the doors won’t open manually. This is just the beginning of the worse to come.

4×4 is a clever high-concept Argentinean and Spanish co-production. The premise holds enough interest to leave many unanswered questions for the first 20 minutes or so. Ciro’s claustrophobic and cruel situation works initially as a compelling short film that combines black comedy, horror, and elements of a classic survival story.

After Ciro puts back the sound system that he had intended to steal, he receives a phone call from Dr. Enrico Ferrari (Dady Brieva), the car’s owner, who explains the trap has been carefully designed for guys like Ciro not to succeed like they are used to. He goes on to complain about the many instances in which he or members of his family were victims of crimes while also revealing that is terminally ill, so he has nothing to lose at this point.

The entrapment extends for many days of thirst and hunger for Ciro. His tormentor is unpredictable—his mercy has limits. If Ciro complains about the heat, Ferrari turns on the air conditioner until the cold is purposely unbearable. At one point, Ciro mumbles to himself that he is a thief like his father and grandfather once were. We also find out that he has a wife and a kid, and that’s all the backstory provided.

Still we empathize with Ciro’s suffering because of Lanzani’s physically demanding performance, which ranges from absolute desperation and rage to exhaustion. The cinematography also captures impressive moments, considering the singular setting, like a close-up of a thirsty Ciro: while it’s raining outside, the rain drops falling on the glass create the illusion that they could end up in his gaping mouth.

Once the rules of the game are established, which revert the roles of victim and aggressor, 4×4 commits to tackling social and political issues. Ciro watches how the neighbors of the surrounding community catch a thief and collectively beat him until police interven. Additionally, Ferrari mentions that countless families have opted for a life abroad. However, these serious issues are presented in a shallow manner where lectures replace interactions. As the power dynamic between Ciro and Ferrari progresses, there is an emphasis on shock value and declarations about how wrong the things are nowadays as the characters become mere tokens of class differences.

Besides the flat discourse and its sense of self-importance, 4×4 remains more involving inside the confines of the automobile than when it moves outside onto the street. Once the action is no longer contained in the vehicle, everything gets messier. As a result, 4×4 provides a fun ride when it’s not trying to give a half-baked lesson about society’s ills.