Miss Bala

Mexico!

For most people we think about tacos, beer, tequila, great music and of course beautiful women, But for people like Donald Trump, he only think about building a wall. Why is he so afraid of mexicans ? The truth is that the mexican people are not dangerous at all. Sure there are drug cartels and criminals in Mexico, but you have them in every country, even in America. So no matter how many walls you build, you can never stop criminals, you just punish ordinary workers instead. We don´t need walls, we need to respect each other, no matter what country we are from. One of the things i Always think about when i hear Mexico, is of course the wondeful, beautiful film From Dusk Till Dawn from director Robert Rodriguez. Released in 1996, tells the story of criminals Gecko Brothers ( played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino ) who kidnap a family and plan to finish some business at the Titty Twister, a night club out in the mexican desert. This film has all the right elements, lots of action, body parts flying, naked girls, vampires, alcohol, cool characters, great dialogue, and fantastic music. I still consider this to be one of the best films from director Robert Rodriguez, and this is a must have on DVD or Blu Ray, also a perfect gift to the whole family. Another film that makes me think about Mexico is the 2007 film known as Borderland. Directed by Zev Berman, this film tells the story of three college students who travel to Mexico and accidently stumble upon a human-sacrifice cult. This is actually a great horror film, Since it manage to mix Mexican culture and religion in a brutal, but effective way. If you love horror films, i Think you should give this film a chance. In 2011 there was a Mexican film called Miss Bala, that movie critics worldwide recommended. I have not seen it yet, but i am curious to see it. Now we have a remake with the same name from director Catherine Hardwicke ( who directed Lords Of Dogtown ). Is this a solid remake, or is the new Miss Bala a disaster from start to finish ?

Gloria Fuentes ( Gina Rodriguez ) is a make up artists from L.A., who struggles to find her way in life. Gloria goes to Tijuana, Mexico to visit her best friend Suzu Ramos ( Cristina Rodlo ) to help her prepare for the Miss Baja California pageant competition. On a night out, Gloria and Suzu head to a night club to hopefully meet some important people, who are connected to Miss Baja California pageant competition. But the night ends with mexican drug cartels going in shooting down people, as Gloria manage to escape. She have no idea if Suzu is alive, but the next morning she confronts a police officer for help. He turns out to be corrupted, and take her straight into the hands of Las Estrellas members, a drug cartel gang. Their leader Lino Esparza ( Ismael Cruz Córdova ) order them to take her to him. He has an offer, she work for them and her friend Suzu and her son will be ok, or they could easily wipe them both out. Gloria have no other way out, she is forced to follow the rules.

Since i have not seen the original film from 2011, i can´t compare these films, so i will just give my opinions about this remake. If you are looking for great acting, this remake of Miss Bala is not what you are looking for. This is more made for people who enjoy action films, especially that reminds us of the action films of the 90´s. We get lots of guns, some explosions and other violence as well. If you enjoy these things in a film, then you probably have found the right film for you. To be honest, sometimes it is just nice to watch an action film that does not focus on acting, and focus more about delivering action scenes. What about the plot ? The plot is very simple, and we have seen this type of plot before. But it works, considering it fits into the story of drug cartels. The characters may not be very strong in this film, but lead actress Gina Rodriguez ( who you might have seen in TV series Jane The Virgin ) as the victim Gloria is actually the strongest character in this film. It is nice to see a female character that i believe  many women could relate to. If you look at her situation, i am sure most women would do the same to protect the ones you love, to make sure no one gets hurt. There is one more character i did enjoy in this film ( even if his acting is not great ), and that is the character Lino, played by actor Ismael Cruz Córdova. His performance of this drug cartel chief, gives you a bigger understanding on why he lives a life filled with problems. He only knows how to be a criminal, and making money is everything. Anything bad about this film ? Except for some bad acting, i would say i would have wanted some unexpected twists in this film, and it could have been more fun. Other than that, i can´t complain since this is made to be a pure action film for a certain kind of audience. Director Catherine Hardwicke may not have made one of her better films, but still manage to deliver a film that will be appreciated by people who enjoy this genre. If you love action movies in general, give Miss Bala a chance. This is popcorn entertainment where you don´t need to use your brain cells, just have a good time and enjoy the ride.

Rating: DDD