Khali the Killer

The title was a bit misleading but I really liked where this film went. Richard Cabral played Khali beautifully and with a really convincing passion and frustration. An ex East LA gang member gone solo who doesn't speak Spanish but knows lot's of Spanish phrases as pick up lines. Corina Calderon is also very talented, beautiful and convincing in her role as the ex and current love and co-motivator. Khalis grandmother is also his motivation. There is a certain level of both humour and desperation in all of the main characters throughout the film. The male nurse and the grandmother in particular stand out for some likable absurdities. Like the title, the opening scene would lead you to expect a slightly higher level of hit man skill and less vulnerability from Khali than transpires but it all seems to work in the end. Overall while a bit slow burning the film left me smiling and wanting to see a lot more of the characters. Definitely a film worth watching

He's a hit-man. He's suppose to be a culinary master, but his kitchen is empty. He's suppose to be Latino, but he doesn't speak Spanish. Terribly written and with a fake 70's style that is grating and laughable.

Obviously written and directed by someone who doesn't know anything about Latinos. Pathetic.

The creators clearly intended to defy the viewer's expectations. When we first see the hit-man title character, he is coldly executing a set of enemies, but minutes later we see him carjacked by a suburbanite teenager, still later getting mistaken for a child molester while looking for his vehicle, and not long afterwards even losing his nerve stalking a pathetically easy target. We know him to have acted ruthlessly, but he's emotionally undone by seeing his grandmother slip into dementia. He self-identifies as a Hispanic East Angelino (i.e., East L.A.), but the only complete sentences he can speak in Spanish are the corny pick-up lines he addresses to his estranged wife. Richard Cabral proves himself a viable leading man, consistently watchable and believable as a desperate but selectively compassionate man, and many of the smaller roles are resourcefully cast. There is blessedly little visual distraction, the director having chosen ready-made locations and somehow having shot a 90-minute movie in less than three weeks. Plot-wise, you could argue that that wrap-up is implausibly tidy (and that technique-wise a few film edits aren't so tidy) but, again, the performances and the uncanny balance of realism and observational comedy is what holds our interest. And after watching, you'll likely avoid tangling with anyone driving a light blue Hyundai.

The opening scene of the film sets expectations for savage brutality at any moment. And with that tension Jon Matthews is able to insert cathartic, playful humor to great effect. The score, which channels American Westerns, is a surprisingly perfect fit for this unconventional crime drama set in LA.

Richard Cabral fills his role so completely and convincingly that it came as no surprise to learn that Cabral has roots in gang culture. The only thing not believable is that his character doesn't speak much Spanish, because he has the pronunciation of a native speaker. But his powers of sensibility and fearlessness create so much emotional authenticity that it's often easy to forget you're watching a work of fiction. A strong supporting cast and unexpectedly subtle cinematography results in some stunning storytelling for a highly relevant story.

Khali Killer was a great movie. Richard Cabral fit his role and made role come to life on the screen. The plot took you into different directions. The music took me back to the days of Spaghetti Western's. Personally reminded me of a Quentin Tarantino film. What a talented cast and director.