Les Sicarios

"Mercury Plains" is one of those films that in order to succeed just needed fifteen rewrites of the script, at least, to become something truly good or more than just watchable. But nope. This is just like the junk food industry: fast, simple, cheap, somewhat digestible, never healthy or sustainable but it works to some, though the real thing never convinces.

With a more experienced writer this is the kind of plot that could work easily but here someone is making us force to use our suspension of disbelief to the max, and that's just wrong. Scott Eastwood plays a troubled guy with no prospects in life who runs away to Mexico along with a friend to get some cheap fun and thrills. Somehow, he gets recruited by a man called "The Captain" (played by Nick Chinlund, quite okay) who runs a paramilitary group who fights drug cartels. The group is formed by teens, kids and weird types who barely know to use a gun, but they're the ones taking over the place of the real cops and making things right. And as usual things go south, things are not what they appear and Scott is gonna be the real hero of the situation.

Effortless in action, mildly interesting scenes (the final conflict was good but the result from it was a real mess. Epic plot hole). If the idea of the movie is to serve as a pamphlet to paramilitary groups to deal with the drug problem in Mexico, then we're in big trouble, boy. Just goes to show that amateurish folks acting as if being real law enforcements, fighting against real dangers, cannot succeed in any way (unless those groups opposing their own governments in Latin American nations during many military coups between the 1960's and the 1980's. They had some powerful effects against organized movements).

A passable movie due to Chinlund's usual and nice effort as a villain; and Eastwood providing a suitable heroic look even though he's taking too much out of his daddy (silence and expression) and not doing anything creative. There's still time for him to become a real good actor. Except for the fore-mentioned reasons, some scenes here and there, "Mercury Plains" is just for desperate curious minds but you can go without it. 5/10

Those looking for an action-packed, shoot-'em-up thriller might be disappointed, but that doesn't mean there aren't some worthy ideas and narrative threads at work here. This is a slowly paced film, at times almost meditative, but one that rewards a patient viewer. Don't watch it for shootouts and chase scenes, but rather for a thoughtful treatise on men and boys, fathers and sons, the razor thin line between love and war, and the hollow attraction of lawlessness and moral anarchy -- all shot gorgeously in the dreamlike expanses of the Mexican desert.

The plot is fairly bare bones: a young 20something down on his luck, Mitch (Scott Eastwood), crosses the border from Texas to Mexico out of nothing more than boredom, and winds up getting entangled in a group of lost boys who've been taken in by a Fagin-esque leader, "The Captain," a middle-aged vet who uses his ragtag band to carry out vigilante hits on various drug runners and cartel branches. At first, Mitch is enticed by The Captain's promise of money and claim that something special lies inside of Mitch -- something no one else can see. To the completely lost man-child without a father figure, this serves as motivation to keep Mitch serving as The Captain's "top soldier," even as the group quickly devolves into pure criminal violence and bloody greed. By the end, Mitch is forced to find his own ethical code, something to dictate his sense of self-preservation vs. self-worth.

There is a lot at play here, talk of soldiers and kings and the ownership of territory, that all resonate deeply within our current climate of urban gang warfare and political fear-mongering and appetite for vigilante justice. Eastwood doesn't yet have the gruff gravitas and charisma of his famous father, but he shoulders the movie well, displaying a screen presence that belies his inexperience. The original score is haunting and beautiful, and the cinematography captures desolate landscapes and car chases with equal elegance. If you give yourself time to breathe with this film and meander along at its contemplative tempo, I think you'll appreciate its aim to be something more than just another shoot-out in the desert.

MERCURY PLAINS is the tale of Mitch (Scott Eastwood), a young man without a cause, stuck in a dead end town off in nowhere, Texas. When a friend suggests they take an impromptu trip to Mexico to shake things up, Mitch shrugs and rolls along. But after his friend bails on him, Mitch finds himself in league with a mysterious man known as "The Captain," the leader of a paramilitary group of children and teens. The Captain offers the chance for purpose and fortune, an offer that a lost Mitch can't find reason to refuse.

THE SETTING: The desolate Mexican desert is shot beautifully. It provides the perfect backdrop for Mitch's journey for self -- it often feels like the desert goes on and on without clear landmarks to orient yourself, which for Mitch, is a lot what his life looks like at this point in time.

THE CAPTAIN: Without spoiling too much, just know that this character is a fascinating one. Though he'd have Mitch believe they're very much alike, he's more accurately a foil: The Captain is one to wax poetic, while Mitch would rather stand back, observe, and listen. Mitch displays an inner noble need to help people, even if he doesn't always know how to express it, whereas The Captain says he has the boys' best interest at heart, but...well, you'll just have to watch and see.

GENRE: It's not an out-and-out actioner, it's not TAKEN, and it's not your typical shoot 'em up western pic either -- it's not trying to be any of those. The Eastwood name and the modern western setting may lead to you to believe it's going to be a certain kind of film, but if you allow yourself to experience it at its own pace, what you'll find is the story of a lost boy -- a young man wandering the desert, adrift in life -- who's handed a gun and given a mission, which forces him to reassess his own values and what's important to him.

IN SUMMARY: The movie's methodical pace is a reflection of Mitch's own approach to life, an approach that by the end is jarred loose and shaken to its core -- the best action sequences of the film build and explode as we near the finish line. His journey raises questions of ambition and power, of self-identity, of mob mentality -- all of which he has to face down and wrestle with himself.

MERCURY PLAINS takes its time, embraces the slow burn, and bucks the trends of its genre. So if you like your western action flicks with a little more meat on the bones, you should give this one a shot.

Eastwood tries too hard. Movie is boring and dry. Giving it 2 stars for effort. Crying roles are too exaggerated and don't appear sincere. He could of taken some acting advice from his father to appear more natural. Music was good but very monotone for a movie of this caliber. Eastwood needs to find his own style and not try to be too much like his father. Even the style of movie was not unique but rather imitating the type of roles his father takes on. It's hard not to compare the two...this kid needs to find his own way , his own style, his own story if he wants to be a successful actor. Seems like he is using his own name to get famous. Why not be creative and call himself something different so he can stand on his own.

This film tells the story of a young man who has little future in his home town in the United States. He goes to Mexico with a friend for a bit of fun, but ends up being recruited to join a gang that targets drug dealers for their money.

"Mercury Plains" isn't a bad film. It is just that Scott Eastwood is too handsome and clean shaven to be believable in his role. In addition, when the gang is solely made up of teenage boys, one would really doubt the authenticity of the operation. The fact that he doubts his boss isn't immediately obvious either, because he is an introverted character. Overall, there are some good moments in the film, such as the abduction scene.