This is a riveting, shocking Mexican film based on actual
events in the ongoing war on Mexico’s drug cartels and its vicious, murderous
human toll on innocent people. Miss Bala, like Maria Full of Grace (2004) and The Devil’s Double (2011), follows an innocent individual as she is suddenly
forced into cooperating with a violent gang or mafia at great risk to her
life, but must continue through with the ordeal until the end, not knowing if she’ll survive.
Mexico has become an incredibly dangerous, lawless place
with parts of the country being controlled by extremely rich, brutal and heavily
armed drug lords and their network of corrupted officials. Anyone who has
followed the news in the past few years would be familiar with how little power the
government has against these cartels. (See recent news articles below) There are so many stories of places in Mexico where brutally murdered
and decapitated bodies of police and innocent bystanders are found lying in the
streets or hanging from bridges almost every day. The film tells us that 36,000
lives have been lost since the war on drugs was launched in Mexico between 2006
and 2011, but that number has been increased to 47,500 since the movie was
released at Cannes early last year.
What makes this film so mesmerizing is the powerful way that the events are filmed and makes you believe you are actually handcuffed to a 23 year
old beauty pageant contestant as she is taken through her ordeal. The film
is told completely from her point of view as she suddenly finds herself in the
middle of a war zone when a drug cartel makes a hit on people at a party that she happens to
be attending with her friend.
The camera never stops filming as we see how the leader of
the cartel, Lino, takes a liking to her and spares her life as he uses her to
his advantage during some harrowing and surreal circumstances. Because the
movie is filmed like a documentary we feel as disoriented and anxious as she
does, as she is thrust into the scariest situations, never knowing who to believe
or what is happening.
It makes for a powerful experience as we are shown the inner
workings and depraved tactics of drug lords and the police who make deals with
some cartels as they fight others. Like a documentary, there is no sound track,
making it even more unnerving. The role of the young woman, named Laura
Guerrero, played by Stephanie Sigman, is excellently portrayed with just the
right amount of inner strength and vulnerability to be totally believable, not
going too far in either direction. I will not be surprised if her performance
in this film gives her career a huge boost. Lino, played by Noe Hernandez, is so
convincing as the cartel leader and has such a menacing and lifeless expression
that you cannot help but feel as if you’re looking at the real thing.
Miss Bala screened
at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year and was extremely
well praised for its realistic depiction of a brutal war that’s out of control,
consuming everyone in its path, and showing no sign of ending. This movie is
all about the performances and the ‘you-are-there’ documentary filming style
and will leave you in a state of shock.
In the middle of the film, a beauty pageant host asks Laura
what she desires most, fame or money, but Laura is unable to answer after the
experiences she has been forced to endure. Her quest for fame in the pageant
and Lino’s quest for money has left both of them lifeless and the country full
of fear.
1 comment:
Looking forward to seeing this based on your review.
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