Masacre en la frontera

Charles Bronson has a long-listed filmography that has undeserved sleepers mixed among the favourites, but also there are quite a few standard vehicle efforts. 'Borderline' figures in that latter pile. Entertaining for the odd 97 minutes, but nothing really there to make it overly memorable. Maybe to see a steely Ed Harris make his first real dent in the major film industry, but other than that there's very little to it.

The subject at hand (illegal immigration of Mexicans crossing over the US border) is very topical and naturally integrated, as Charles Bronson plays the chief border patrol officer. However despite how strong the themes are, it's never truly harrowing and piercing enough in its context to lift it above its average layout. The human drama is too black and white (lacking an emotional punch), but also suffering was that it never gained any real sort of assured brunt when it came to the action. It can get rough, but the thrills are sparsely worked in. But this being the case it doesn't stop it from being effective, just it leaves a no real agreeable imprint.

During the nights Chief Border Patrol Officer Jeb and his overworked men take in many illegal aliens trying to cross over the border. One of his men pulls over a truck, but is shot for it. After the killing of a border patrol officer and a young Mexican boy too. The FBI is brought on to the case and believes it to have something to do with drug running. However Jeb along with the deceased boy's mother go about trying to figure out what really happened and he has his true suspicions.

What I liked was how director Jerrod Freedman gives the film quite an organic look, as the camera follows the action in a documentary-style. Freedman's direction is sturdily serviceable, never forced and lets it breeze by. Gil Mellé's rousing score is on the mark.

The cast do the best with what the script allows. Bronson alone gets through it with such genuine conviction. Harris' on-screen charisma evidently features with a well-comprised performance and Karmin Murcelo gives a wonderfully warm turn of heart-broke. There's an well-fitted supporting cast with Bruno Kerby, Michael Lerner, Wilford Brimley, Kenneth McMillan and Charles Cyphers.

Workable, if indistinguishable.

Don't expect to see Chuck wipe out men by request, shoot punks or grow watermelons. This time Bronson is Jeb Maynard, a tough and experienced chief border patrol officer investigating the cold-blooded murder of one of his men who is just two weeks away from retirement. With the aid of a newly transferred young officer from New York, Maynard tracks down the ruthless killer who is seemingly as elusive as the masterminds behind the crime.

BORDERLINE, a lesser known and often forgotten Bronson's film (at least to me), plays like a pilot episode of a TV series. Not much tension is delivered and not much action either, but this crime drama keeps viewers, especially fans, interested. Unfortunately, the distinctively catchy music during the opening credits is underplayed, which renders some key scenes emotionally bland.

Compared with other Bronson's films - Cold Sweat, White Buffalo, Love and Bullets - which are rather disappointing, BORDERLINE quite delivers the goods. It's always a pleasure for Bronson's fans to see him take up a different role: here we see more of his acting and charisma while less of his machismo (Not saying that this side of Bronson's acting style is unwelcome). During his long acting career, Charles Bronson only had several memorable films which made him an iconic action star. BORDERLINE is certainly not one of them. For his fans, this minor entry is worth watching regardless.

This is just a flick with a simple story but it's still watchable towards todays standards. It's all about the borderline between America and Mexico and the business that is going on to 'help' Mexicans cross the line.

For a flick of 1980 it is very low on brutality. It was a time that had a lot of blood, nudity and gore in it's flicks but this here just hasn't any of that. There's one killing that is well done, the shooting at the beginning but further there's nothing to see. But the thespians here to see is the main reason to watch it.

The main lead is done by Charles Bronson, you love or hate him but I love him even as he isn't an actor with great abilities he still delivers. It was made at a time that Bronson was more in rough flicks or revenge flicks starting with the Death Wish franchise (1974). But there's also Ed Harris (Hotchkiss) here to see in one of his first major roles. He got his first taste of critical acclaim, playing astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff (1983). Also Bruno Kirby (Jimmy Fante ) made it in blockbusters like Good Morning Vietnam (1987). There are more popular faces to see in smaller roles like Charles Cypher.

We have seen this story a few times in other flicks but as I said earlier, it still works and is in fact still actual.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Charles Bronson is the officer in charge of a border patrol station in charge of a stretch of territory East of San Diego. He explains to new officer Bruno Kirby that they're catching a hundred people a day and estimate twice as many get through. He asked for a couple of dozen new hands and got Kirby.

Those who expect a Bronson movie to be a bloodbath will be surprised at the calmer, more procedural tone of this movie. Bronson doesn't seem to care about how many people come into the US; he's just there to enforce the laws. Smuggling in people is a big, well organized business, with the men in charge getting the profits off an estimated 3,000,000 illegal immigrants a year at $300 a head. Ed Harris, in his first credited film role, is the head of the local operations. Can Bronson, who seems to have no life outside his job, bring them to book?

...is unfortunately not quite exceeded

Not the worst Bronson film. Although one hopes that Charly would occasionally turn up the heat a bit more, the film focuses more on story and suspense, which is not bad. All in all, it's meant to be a socially critical trill, not so much an action thriller. But the cliché probably demands it, one thirsts for a little more reactionary ruckus.

In other roles in the flick, which is well cast right down to the supporting roles, are Hollywood veterans Bruno Kirby, Kenneth McMillan, Wilford Brimley and Ed Harris, among others, all familiar faces from numerous classics. 6,5 / 10.