So many thrillers these days have plots and subplots so complex I sometimes find myself scratching my head when trying to connect all the dots. The overarching story is clear and usually quite entertaining, however in countless cases question marks and plot holes abound when a film maker tries to pull off too many tricks or too much manipulation. In contrast, sometimes a simple and straightforward tale can have all the effect of its convoluted counterpart sans the confusion. Don't get me wrong- I love a complicated thriller that is well-executed, and I adore when a film maker pulls off the feat of reigning in an elaborate story line. Sometimes, however, I can revel in a film that has a simple narrative that is compelling enough to yield an action-packed feature length film, grabbing your full attention and not letting go for 90+ minutes.
In DESIERTO, director Jonas Cuaron does just that with a classic cat and mouse saga set in the desolate badlands of the Mexican border. A group of immigrants and their "coyote" guide are stranded just shy of the of the U.S. border with Mexico. When they decide to embark on foot through the unforgiving desert, the group has to deal with the harsh elements of the treacherous landscape. Not long after they finally cross the border in an anticlimactic hop through a barbed wire fence, their surroundings become even more dangerous when a sharp-shooting, racist, patriot decides to be a vigilante border patrolman.
In DESIERTO, director Jonas Cuaron does just that with a classic cat and mouse saga set in the desolate badlands of the Mexican border. A group of immigrants and their "coyote" guide are stranded just shy of the of the U.S. border with Mexico. When they decide to embark on foot through the unforgiving desert, the group has to deal with the harsh elements of the treacherous landscape. Not long after they finally cross the border in an anticlimactic hop through a barbed wire fence, their surroundings become even more dangerous when a sharp-shooting, racist, patriot decides to be a vigilante border patrolman.
aka Annette Kellerman