The Mule

So far, it has been the "Duty" of Independent Films to Tackle the "Hot Button" Issue of Illegal Immigration, so here it is. With a Miniscule Budget and some Good Intentions this Spotty Story of the Horrors that Await these Border Crossers is Assuredly Quite Bleak and Gut-Wrenching.

The Backstory of Sharon Stone's Career as a TV News Reporter is Handled so Sloppily that it is Basically Forgotten for most of the Movie. It Invades Quickly on the most Slimy of Non-Human Entities, that are the Worst Scum and Dirt Bags Imaginable, Border Brutes from Hell.

The Point of the Suffering and Dehumanization of these Folks Trying to make it to a Better Life is Brought Home with some Ugly Violence but Nevertheless the Case is Clearly Made that Things "are not that simple" and the Whole Matter is a Mess and People, including Women and Children are Paying a Heavy Price while most Americans haven't a Clue or Even Worse are Apathetic.

Not a Bad Movie but it is a bit Amateurish and Angles all over the Place, but it does have a Message and it isn't Lost in the Desert Dust, but the Inattention that this Movie has Received is just Another Example of the Story No One Wants to Hear or Tell.

A female American reporter (Sharon Stone) searches for her missing brother (Billy Zane) against the backdrop of violence and human smuggling across the United States / Mexico border.

The key to remember in this film is that, as is said twice, the issue of the border is "not that simple". Any political stand on the issue has to be very nuanced or probably uninformed. I am not going to even try to explain where the arguments on many sides of the issue go wrong, as that is a book in itself.

And that is how I have to frame this film. I feel like it generally has a sympathetic view towards illegal immigration. And, indeed, there is reason to feel that way -- if my life could be substantially improved by crossing an imaginary line, I would probably consider doing it, too. But that ignores the importance of a strong border: keeping threats out and formalizing the citizenship process.

Yet, if the point of the film was to spark debate, I suppose it may succeed there. Immigration and border control is not an all or nothing issue, and there is much worthy of debate in these topics. Are we morally obligated to help improve people's lives? Or perhaps we are more obligated to ensure a strong homeland defense?

Sadly, Billy Zane (6-foot-2-inches of pure bad-butt) has far too little screen time and Sharon Stone is well past her acting prime. She was not a strong lead, and whoever decided to give her that terrible hair just made her more distracting than necessary.

Border Run is a film, as you would imagine, about people crossing the border from Mexico to the USA. A US reporter (Sharon Stone) seeks to find her brother (Billy Zane), who has been working for a relief organisation in Mexico, after he disappears. She uncovers the illegal world of border crossing gangs and drug runners.

The storyline of the film is quite reasonable and the film takes a very gritty look at the border crossing, those who are trying to help and those who are trying to get rich.

Stone is the lead role and she does not deliver. With a different actress the film could have been much better. Stone is just not believable and, at times, I found her performance almost embarrassing. However, other performances are good and sympathy is generated for the harsh and horrific experience that those who seek to cross the US border face.

Worth a watch? Probably not.

"Thousands try to cross into the US illegally every year. Each person carries a story, this is one of them and I didn't know at the time but this story is also mine." American reporter Sofie (Stone) has just got a big break in the story she is working on. Excited she calls her brother and hears gun shots. Trying to find out what happened leads her to Mexico and a ring of human smuggling and violence. From there things get more and more dangerous, and it's all true. I will start by saying that this was better then I was expecting. While still a B type movie the acting wasn't bad and the movie really made you feel strong emotions. One of them is anger toward the smugglers, the other is anger toward the border guards. To me the movie made me feel mixed emotions. Anger toward the smugglers and anger toward the US policies as well as agreeing with the policies. I wasn't sure who is in the right in this movie and that's what makes a good movie. One that makes you feel something you didn't before. I recommend it for that reason, but the movie itself is just OK. Overall, the emotions you feel make the movie well worth seeing. I say B.

Border Run is a bare-bones, gritty, raw film about a very serious topic. Sharon Stone must have chosen to endure this demanding role to support the film's effort to show the incredibly inhumane treatment of illegal aliens on both sides of the border. It forces the viewer to confront the real human suffering caused by the enforcement of the Mexican/American border and the criminals who take advantage of desperate people. With few words and an emphasis on clear-cut situations, the script is effective without putting its themes into unnecessary comments by the characters. Some of the supporting actors are so immersed in their roles that it is hard to realize they are not actually these unfortunate people. This is one of those real-life stories that plays out like a movie, with twists and turns, but is true nonetheless. It certainly deserves a better overall rating than 4.2.