No Man's Land

This thoughtful film could have been a minor modern epic if it had been given a stronger script. As is, it holds interest until some poorly developed story details begin to become too obvious. It's also photographically patchy, with cheap handheld shots bringing down the better-constructed sequences. Some distracting editing in the first half won't help it gain the attention the overall story is straining for - a pity because the whole thing has very good intentions as we follow a young man's attempts to redeem himself for an accidental killing.

Performances are sincere with the casting generally convincing, it's just the weak moments in the script that let it down. Music is well used throughout including a couple of interesting songs and the outdoor locations standing in for the Tex-Mex border add impact - those who don't feel the need to analyse their entertainment won't mind the flaws, others may be let down.

The story is slow, but it is quite effective at portraying guilt of the main character. If the reason of why he feels so guilty, and why he goes to such length to seek peace, it would have been even better.

I had to review because it doesn't deserve less than a 6. It was a decent film that I wouldn't mind watching again and I'd recommend to my sons. The story was moving, I didn't find it boring or slow like most of the popular reviews. The land, the people, Jackson, and Sundance (gorgeous paint horse) kept me invested. The only drawbacks were a couple a couple trope-y characters. I think it was a well rounded story and worthy of telling.

"No Man's Land" sets up two families on either side of the border. I expected a lot from this movie as the cast seemed unbeatable. The plot and the main characters were also shaky. After the Greer family bump into illegal Mexicans on their property in the middle of the night, Jackson (Jake Allyn) tries to help but ends up shooting and killing Gustavo's (Jorge A. Jimenez) young son Fernando (Alessio Valentini) in the chaos.

When Jackson's father (Frank Grillo) tries taking the blame, Ramirez (George Lopez), a Texas Ranger, suspects the cover up. Jackson flees south into Mexico. On his journey to nowhere, Jackson starts to realize that his neighbours across the border are people too and he starts to develop a bond with Mexico (and a Mexican girl of course). This movie shows that the world is growing apart and racism and prejudgment are ample. The whole storyline is very predictable. Regarding the performances, the most captivating ones are from George Lopez, Jorge Jimenez and Jake Allyn. And always nice to see Frank Grillo in a movie. He never disappoints. Watchable but missing a kick and a twist.

But just not told very well. Acting was great. The premise was great. It just felt disconnected in parts.