Salvando al Soldado Pérez

This movie is really surprising because it is filled with clichés to tell a totally original story. It is the story of a Mexican drug lord who takes 5 of the baddest guys he can find to go rescue his brother who is an American soldier missing in Iraq, believed to have been captured by insurgents. It is filled with stereotypes about Mexicans and drug lords yet it is such a fresh story that none of that matters. In fact it adds a lot of tongue in cheek humor to the story because it plays the story off the stereotypes. There is humanity, redemption and a lot humor in this movie and is definitely worth seeing. It is mostly in Spanish with subtitles.

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.

This movie is called by others as a parody of Saving Private Ryan and it is half true but only by argument. This movie es indeed of the search of a soldier called Perez that is captured in Iraq. But this time is not by a unit from the same army, this private is being rescued by a commando of drug dealers leaded by the older brother of the soldier who is one of the main drug lords of Mexico.

This drug lord trying to make amends with his mother offers to rescue his brother that left with US troops to gain a green card. So this man, ignorant as it is believed drug dealers are, assembles a group of commandos with special tactics used to smuggle or protect drugs, so you can imagine how weird these men are. They will help him to travel across Arabian dessert to rescue young Perez. Trough out the journey you'll see many parodies of 80's action movies and the culture of drug dealers in how they talk, act and specially how they dress.

So don't expect the same line of humor US movie's have it is Latinamerican humor which is very different. Still is an enjoyable movie

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.

"Saving Private Perez" is not only the funniest film of the year, but it also features the best ensemble cast. "Saving Private Perez" gets some of Mexico's finest to act. I can best describe this film as Seven Samurai directed by Stephen Chow. It's a story of these seven Mexicans trying to rescue a drug lord's brother. It was insane and funny, but it isn't a parody of American war films it's a parody of drug dealers in Mexico and action films. In fact if it wasn't for the last frame of this film....This could be my favorite film of the year. Coming into the theater I could tell that they thought no one would want to watch this film there was trash all over the floor and the projector wasn't even in. Finally they realized "oh crap there is a crowd here. We better start this soon." I was worried, but this turned out to be the best "movie experience" for me all year. I went into a theater full of Mexicans all ready to laugh. When the first scene happens with these little kids playing with a sling shot you hear a guy a row behind us say "all hard" and I bursted out in laughs. This film does have its touching moments though. The film jumps around from the past to the present so you could see the protagonist's past. You see his life wasn't the easiest. He had to sell drugs in order to get by for his family after his father's death. Saving Private Perez gets all the style points for me as well. It had the best clothes as well as the best music. TOMATOES! (9.0/10)