So today is Cinco de Mayo, which means everyone gets the chance to be Mexican for the day and drink Corona’s (bleh) and eat Mexican food, which honestly is what I do most days. Stereotypes are there for a reason. Anyways, so while I could write about some incredible important Mexican film to commemorate the day we defeated France (who hasn’t really), but I decided I must show you this ridiculous film that is streaming on Netflix. It is like the Mexican version of Saving Private Ryan, but you know, with more cartel shootings and Mexican soap opera drama.
Julian Perez, Mexico’s most notorious leader of organized crime, must embark on a mission given to him by the only authority he respects… his mother.
Joined by a colorful band of infamous criminals, Julian must risk his life to fulfill his mother’s wish & rescue his brother from the war-ridden bowels of the most treacherous land in the world, IRAQ. (official site)
Saving Private Perez is a fairly straightforward story that relies on a more, heavy cultural relation to their jokes and family ties that drive the film. Sure the trailer makes it out to be this campy, b-movie and it is. It has this wonderful tele-novela feel to the proceedings that give it a very humorous touch, even when the film is making some satirical points about the war and even the role of cartels in Mexico.
Don’t look for some overt political satire that is biting or scathing. The isn’t really making a strong go at the undertone and message, rather just using the opportunity to take a jab at cartels by turning them into some wacky group of misfits that get into all sorts of capers. The film only goes for the core, cultural beliefs held by Mexican’s regarding family and loyalty. I guess taking the polarizing cartels of Mexico and twisting the elements of fear into comedy for them makes for nice satire.
I have to admit, a lot of the jokes are more cultural than anything else. I would caution going into the film for a laugh riot adventure, rather the jokes come at their own pace and are specific to the situation. It does play out like a campy, soap opera, but with a bigger budget and less extreme closeups shots of faces when someone finds out that their spouse cheated. Since they embrace that mentality of campiness, the film works so well, even when they are making fun of the ongoing war and drug cartels. Its got heart and soul, along with a strong family bond that even idiotic war criminals and the American military can’t destroy.
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
*images via RottenTomatoes
