I really wanted to like this movie, then again, I really want to like most movies I go to, but this one, it was just, eh. And yes, eh is the technical term. When you read the description on IMDb you think, "Huh, this might be a good movie about the terrors in Mexico and the war on drugs," Unfortunately it isn't. From IMDb: An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
That isn't a very long synopsis, and it really doesn't tell you much about the movie, and honestly it goes way off base. First off there are so many technical errors, one really does wonder how the hell these agents are getting away with what they are doing. Second, there are absolutely no good guys in this movie, which would be okay if there were any point.
The movie begins with the young idealistic FBI agent played by Emily Blunt raiding a house owned by a cartel member. Inside the house they find a horrifying surprise, and she decides she is tired of finding things that don't help her get closer to the big bad guy. So she is enlisted by another agency, only to find out that they don't really like to do things entirely legal. There is a constant back and forth between her and the head agent of the other group about whether they should be doing the things they are doing, and if any of this would hold up in court, but honestly it doesn't matter, because not one of the bad guys was supposed to get out alive anyway.
The saving grace of this file is Benicio Del Toro's character Alejandro. He is a mysterious figure and the viewer isn't quite sure what his job is in the group, until they break through a tunnel, then his job becomes obvious and a little frightening. He is just evil enough without making the viewer hate him.
I wanted to like this movie, it looked great. All I can honestly say I liked was Del Toro's character. He was fabulous in this film, like he often is, but this was just a great fit for him. I can't say I recommend this movie, but it does give a somewhat honest portrayal of how drug cartels work and run. A lot of people don't believe me when I say that the city of Juarez, Mexico is one of the most frightening cities I've ever learned about.
That isn't a very long synopsis, and it really doesn't tell you much about the movie, and honestly it goes way off base. First off there are so many technical errors, one really does wonder how the hell these agents are getting away with what they are doing. Second, there are absolutely no good guys in this movie, which would be okay if there were any point.
The movie begins with the young idealistic FBI agent played by Emily Blunt raiding a house owned by a cartel member. Inside the house they find a horrifying surprise, and she decides she is tired of finding things that don't help her get closer to the big bad guy. So she is enlisted by another agency, only to find out that they don't really like to do things entirely legal. There is a constant back and forth between her and the head agent of the other group about whether they should be doing the things they are doing, and if any of this would hold up in court, but honestly it doesn't matter, because not one of the bad guys was supposed to get out alive anyway.
The saving grace of this file is Benicio Del Toro's character Alejandro. He is a mysterious figure and the viewer isn't quite sure what his job is in the group, until they break through a tunnel, then his job becomes obvious and a little frightening. He is just evil enough without making the viewer hate him.
I wanted to like this movie, it looked great. All I can honestly say I liked was Del Toro's character. He was fabulous in this film, like he often is, but this was just a great fit for him. I can't say I recommend this movie, but it does give a somewhat honest portrayal of how drug cartels work and run. A lot of people don't believe me when I say that the city of Juarez, Mexico is one of the most frightening cities I've ever learned about.
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