152. Miss Bala; movie review

MISS BALA
Cert 15
104 mins
BBFC advice: Contains sexual threat, strong threat, language

I appreciate that watching movies is a form of escapism but unless a film sets out to be a fantasy, I think they should be grounded in reality or at least consistency.
Miss Bala's makers are trying to recreate the horrors of the violence on the border between Mexico and the United States.
In doing so, they alight upon the kidnapping by a drug gang of an American (Gina Rodriguez) with a Mexican past.
However, both reactions of the victim and the criminals let it down because they defy belief.
Rodriguez ends up with a killer cartel after a shooting at a night club where she is dancing and drinking with her best friend (Cristina Rodlo) who disappears during the carnage.
Thereafter, she unwittingly becomes a pawn in the battle between criminals and the American Drug Enforcement Agency.
Rodriguez's face is wreathed in almost constant panic during the film's first hour as she fears for her life and that of her friend.
And then a metamorphosis happens and she suddenly becomes able to take them on.
Catherine Hardwicke's film is a remake of a movie of the same name which was released eight years ago.
I have to confess that I didn't recall it until reading my own review in which I praised its gutsy realism and the believability of the characters.
I could not say the same of those in this current incarnation so I was left wondering what the point was.

Reasons to watch: Action-laced border thriller
Reasons to avoid: Packed with cliches

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 5/10

Did you know? Between January and March 2018, almost 400 people were kidnapped in Mexico, many by gangs associated with drug distribution in the United States.

The final word. Catherine Hardwicke: “I went to art school in Mexico, and I just love everything that architecture and we wanted to show a more vibrant culture, [like] Tijuana, where you have cutting edge, modern architecture, beautiful landscapes, and cool murals.”

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