Ajouter une intrigue dans votre langueOn a trip to a Mexican border town, three college friends stumble upon a human-sacrifice cult.On a trip to a Mexican border town, three college friends stumble upon a human-sacrifice cult.On a trip to a Mexican border town, three college friends stumble upon a human-sacrifice cult.
- Réalisation
- Scénario
- Casting principal
- Récompenses
- 1 nomination au total
- Ghost Rider
- (as Wilebardo 'Balo' Bucio)
Avis à la une
The opening epilogue involves a gory torture sequence, which is unpleasant to say the least, but the story soon switches to the three Americans and their trip to Mexican strip joints where a couple curvy señoritas are highlighted. I could tell this was shot on the West Coast of Mexico rather than the East Coast. The city scenes, for instance, were shot in Tijuana, substituting for Matamoros.
The story is loosely based on the 1989 abduction of American pre-med student, Mark Kilroy, from outside a Mexican bar where he was taken to Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo's ranch in the desert, about an hour drive from Matamoros & the border. Fifteen mutilated corpses were discovered buried at the ranch, one of them Kilroy's, who was hacked to death by a machete. Constanzo's cult practiced sorcery in the form of Palo Mayombe, engaging in torture and human sacrifice for supernatural power, e.g. for their drug-runners to appear invisible to border guards.
Constanzo was a known homosexual, but the movie surrounds the Constanzo-based character, Santillan, with Mexican babes. I doubt this was done to be politically correct; I'm sure the filmmakers simply wanted to give him cinematic appeal for the target audience, most of whom would run away screaming if Santillan was depicted with hunky dudes attending to his amorous needs.
While the movie's sometimes unpleasant for obvious reasons, it's gritty, engaging and well-acted, particularly the first half. I'm sure the director, Zev Berman, is a fan of films like "Apocalypse Now" because you definitely see glimmerings of that kind of greatness. Unfortunately, this was the last movie by Berman as of this writing. He could've gone on to be a contenda, like Coppola.
The picture runs 100 minutes and was shot entirely in Baja California, Mexico. It was written by Eric Poppen & director Zev Berman.
GRADE: B+
Three guys take a trip to Mexico that goes all wrong when they run into a cult of violent murderers. That's pretty much the gist of things.
The acting is actually rather decent and the story is well told and even believable to some degree and it kept my attention all the way through and proved to be one of the better films I've seen in this genre. I actually had to remind myself half way through that this was supposed to be a gore-filled horror film. There was nothing new in terms of blood, guts, and gore, and there really wasn't a whole lot of it given the length of the movie, but what's there gets the point across well.
Some people have referred to it as "goreporn" also which it really isn't. I'm glad at least some writers feel that gratuitous sex/nudity take away from a story when unnecessary.
Bottom line: If you go in expecting the same garbage this genre pumps out yearly, you'll be quite pleasantly surprised. If you go in expecting a masterpiece in horror theater, you'll likely be disappointed.
Three young guys go down to Mexico one summer, where they experience that one of them disappears. One of them is kidnapped by humans believing in human sacrificing to the spirit Nganga. The cult leader is based upon The story of Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo! The so-called Godfather of Matamoros. They found more than fifty corpses where brains and spinal cords had been removed. Well, that's the true story, of a case which still isn't closed, as several members of the cult still is on the run.
The film is technically good, and well done in all aspects. The colors are gritty, made with color filters, like many Latin American film has been lately. In this film it's very suitable. Sometimes maybe a bit too much, as it is sometimes difficult to see clearly, outdoors in the sun. Indoors it's better.
The film is made terrifying, as it should be. many actors are doings terrific job. Maybe not so much Brian Presley and Jake MuxWorthy as Rudef Strong. But the Mexicans are doing great, and I always admire Damian Alcazar (amazing in 2004-film Chronicas/Chronicles). The crook Marco Bacuzzi is amazingly terrifying as a violent evil man. One of the scariest I've seen on film ever. The bad guys here are really disgusting all of them. Well played.
I find this a very good film, Though I don't like this kind of violence. I hate watching it, and definitely more do when it is a true story. This is of course it's not everyone's porridge. If you trouble with graphic films, this is no film for you. It's no constellation "this is just film", 'cause it isn't just. It is based on a true happening, found in the insanity of some human's religion. Embrace yourself.
I always look forward for the horror films festival known as 8 Films to Die For.
I first saw this in 2008 on a dvd which I own. Revisited it recently. This film has one of the most nerve shattering, horrific opening. This film gets under your skin. This is not torture porn or Hostel wannabe. The script is solidly scary n really frightening when u come to kno that it is based on a true story of a drug lord/leader of a religious cult that practiced human sacrifices. The tension in this film is very high and the atmosphere is genuinely scary. Direction by Zev Berman is really good. I don't know y he ain't doin any more movies. He shud get more movies.
Was surprised to see Sean Astin. Lastly, the film has some really hot chicks n a very sadistic n creepy bald villain. I felt like thrashing him.
Le saviez-vous
- AnecdotesLoosely based on actual events which occurred in Mexico in 1989. A group of "narcosatanicos" were discovered to have killed at least 20 people and used their body parts in ritual sacrifices. Cult members lead by Adolfo Constanzo and Sara Aldrete were responsible for the abduction and murder of Mark Kilroy, a Texan pre-med student who disappeared in March 1989 during a spring break in Mexico.
- Citations
Drunk Man in Strip Club: Hey, wait a minute. This is for you. $400. But you already know that. I'm talking to you!
Valeria: Let me go!
[Valeria slaps him]
Drunk Man in Strip Club: Fucking bitch!
Ed: Why don't you chill, man? She's no pro.
Valeria: It's okay. I can handle it. It's okay.
Drunk Man in Strip Club: This dickless faggot more your type, Valeria?
Valeria: Fuck off, Gilberto.
Drunk Man in Strip Club: You think you have the balls for this girl? I ask you something. You deaf?
Ed: What the fuck's your problem, man?
Ed: [pulls out a knife and cuts Ed] oh shit!
[Valeria gets a bat and hits Drunk Man in the head and knocks him out]
Valeria: [Valeria now tends to Ed's wound in the back of the bar] That was pretty stupid. At least now you have a great story to tell your friends.
Ed: What? That I got my ass kicked?
Valeria: No. How you came to the aid of a poor and defenseless woman.
Ed: Yeah, right. If it ever gets boring around here, you could bat cleanup for the Astros.
Valeria: You know, my ex-husband, he hated the fact that I could handle myself.
Ed: Let me guess. That's why he's your ex.
Valeria: I left him and I moved here to Manzanita.
Ed: Can I buy you a drink later?
Valeria: So you're not afraid of strong woman?
Ed: Only if she's not swinging a bat at me.
- Versions alternativesIn order to secure the "not under 18" rating from the FSK, the German release was cut by approx. 9 minutes overall, most of the violence is either reduced or removed entirely. The movie in its uncut form is SPIO/JK indexed.
- ConnexionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Top 20 Horror Movies Inspired by True Events (2021)
- Bandes originalesConvéncete
Written by César Mora
Performed by César Mora
Published by Big Tiger Music
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group
Courtesy of LoveCat Music
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Détails
- Date de sortie
- Pays d’origine
- Langues
- Aussi connu sous le nom de
- Sınır bölgesi
- Lieux de tournage
- Sociétés de production
- Voir plus de crédits d'entreprise sur IMDbPro
Box-office
- Montant brut aux États-Unis et au Canada
- 97 182 $US
- Week-end de sortie aux États-Unis et au Canada
- 512 000 $US
- 11 nov. 2007
- Montant brut mondial
- 703 399 $US
- Durée1 heure 45 minutes
- Couleur
- Rapport de forme
- 2.35 : 1