Desierto 2016

     A group of men and women have paid to be escorted across the border between the U.S. and Mexico.  Their vehicle breaks down and they need to proceed further on foot.  They have a guide and water but there is still a long way to go and it's a difficult journey.  To complicate matters, when a part of the group gets into an open area, someone starts killing them with a gun?  The remaining members of the group try to avoid being out in the open as much as they can.  They will also need to avoid the hunter’s German shepherd mix dog, Tracker.  The only way to escape Tracker is to be in territory high enough where he can’t climb the rocks to reach them.  He can climb some of the rocks and if they are out in the open, he will take them down. 

     Sam is the gunman and he believes the U.S. is his country and the people from across the border don’t belong here at all.  Sam is using a M1 Garand sniper rifle and Tracker has the perfect name because that’s what he does.  Neither one has any mercy for the people.  You can clearly tell how hot, deserted and unforgiving the desert area is.  There isn’t any way to disregard the fact that the people crossing the border are entering illegally but this is never voiced.  There isn’t any message in this film either, just struggle and murder?  The best part of this film is the scenery of this area.  2 ½* (This movie is just so-so)   

    

88 min, Drama directed by Jonas Cuaron with Gael Garcia Bernal, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Alondra Hidalgo, Diego Catano, Marco Perez, David Peralta Arreola, Oscar Flores Guerrero, Erik Vazquez, Lew Temple.

Note:  Imdb 6.0 out of 10, 61% critic 47% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2*, Amazon 3.9* out of 5* with 49 reviews, Amazon Video 3.5* out of 5* with 55 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.  All the scenes in this movie are filmed outside.  Desierto is Spanish for desert.  There is another film with close to the same title Desierto Adentro of 2008.