Salvando al Soldado Pérez

There are times when the plot progresses somewhat slowly, however, this is compensated by very epic and exciting action scenes.

Spoiler free review: The film portrays some Mexican stereotypes that are usually the popular target of the news, as well as other types of folklore, in a fun way. The movie show us those so-famous-Mexican drug dealers, parodying somehow the film Saving Private Ryan; but instead, they are saving private Perez. The cultural side, the vocabulary, the customs, the music and the garments, make fun of dealers and "narcos" in Sinaloa, Mexico. The good cast of characters (which are mostly known for appearing in Mexican soap operas) assemble a good rescue team that delivers some well distributed good action and funny moments.

About "values": If you are reviewing movies, don't criticize them subjectively, be objective. It's entertainment, values are learned at home.

This movie is a parody of saving private Ryan with a big difference: this movie is a comedy that uses the Mexican stereotype to bring us some funny situations. The starring actors in this movie make a great performance like a group of "narcos" (drug dealers) with all the colorful that people thinks the narcos has. The music, the clothes, the speech and the cars has one purpose: fun. The story worthless the important thing here is the relationship in the family. Miguel Rodarte, Joaquin Cossio and Jesus Ochoa made an excellent work. Adal Ramones and Jaime Camil like always: not good not bad. The soundtrack is a band music compilation with pop song soy rebelde by jeanette. If you have time go to cinema but first watch black swan, the king's speech, 127 hours or true grit.

Before "Saving Private Perez" started, six indistinguishable action film previews reminded me of the repetition that comes with American action films, threaded with a slim MacGuffins. There were also two comedy trailers that had weird premises, and an outlandish over-the-top trailer for "Anonymous," a scary Tim Burtonesqe intensity/darkness and whopping Foley.

Happily "Saving Private Perez" is over-the-top and outlandish,but in a snarky, straight-forward, perhaps satirical, literal way. If this seems contradictory, it is because this film is having it all ways. And that is its pleasure. It is not a mockery, but a tongue in cheek presentation of a Mexican drug lord's quest to save his USA Marine brother held hostage in Iraq (which is somewhere near Saudia Arabia and Holland). His estranged mother had asked drug lord to bring the brother home (alive). Occasionally funny, the film follows this quest seriously.

The drug lord recruits a "Dirty Cinco" and they fly to Turkey and camel into Iraq. Much exaggerated, nothing is driven into the ground (but who can really exaggerate the American action film or one of our recent comedies?). Its exciting moments are balanced with laughs. "Saving Private Perez"'s ancestor is Phillipe DeBroccca's "That Man from Rio," which spoofed the Connery/Bond series, using exotic locations and validating French traits including stubbornness. "Perez" validates the Mexican character and travels as far.

Production values (2.35:1 aspect ratio)are unexpectedly good. Camera work includes appropriate long shots and scenes are staged for widescreen without excessive closeups. It's not a smooth film, but neither is "That Man From Rio"--you have to allow both their quirkiness and rough edges(cuts).

One pleasure of "Private Perez" is the sense of place, whether LA, a hacienda, rural Mexico, Istanbul or an Arabian desert. You enjoy the space which propels the action. Similar to Brazilia in "That Man from Rio" it intrigues without being a travelogue

I haven't seen a desert like this since "Lawrence of Arabia." It is beautiful desolation. At one point, the "heroes," climb out of an oil pipeline, cover themselves in desert dust and remind me of the mole men in "Superman Meets the Molemen." The film offers other references.

"Saving Private Perez" is an interlude from the dispirited manufactured films that clog our previews. With nonchalance, a joke ever so often, an action sequence here and there, it refreshes us.

I truly love this film, is so funny and also so exciting, something that most of Mexican movies today seem to have forgotten. Is also a powerful story about family, I don't think is about to sanctified criminals, is about bad people doing a good thing in the middle of a terrible war and a crazy world. Antiheroes are here to stay in movies, since the beginning of cinema. And the antiheroes of "Salvando al soldado Pérez" are well presented, displayed and put into action and a weird but very enjoyable trip. I hope Mexican cinema learns from this movie to think about what cinema-goers expect from a movie: to have a very good time!!!!! By the way, I loved the references to Sergio Leone's movies and all the cinephile paraphernalia, including "Scarface", "Star Wars", you name it!!!!