O Cartel

Although you'd be forgiven for mistaking THE LINE for an action flick, it turns out to be anything but: this is in actual fact a character study of various interacting and rival personalities in a violent Mexican city. Ray Liotta bags the central and most interesting role as a hit-man traumatised by an event in his past and given the opportunity to make amends in the present.

Against him is gang leader Pelon, played to the hilt by the chilling Esai Morales. This is a guy who thinks nothing of torturing rivals to death and who fully deserves his comeuppance – should it ever come about. The supporting cast is made up of an excellent ensemble of actors, including those better known for B-movies (Danny Trejo and Gary Daniels both have brief henchman roles) as well as more familiar faces. Andy Garcia, who's been off our screens for quite some time, is particularly interesting as the former gangster wasting away from a terminal illness. Also look out for Bruce Davison, an unrecognisable Armand Assante and the ever-underrated Joe Morton.

This may not be an action movie, but there is at least one splendid shoot-out to enjoy. In any case, the entire film is well shot and the script holds your attention in the snappy, heartfelt dialogue scenes as well as the thriller elements. Comparing it to other recent gangster movies, it comes in under CITY OF GOD but above GOMORRAH.

"The Line" is an overly complicated drugs cartel movie with a very good cast and some first-rate cinematography as well as ambitions above its modest station. Ray Liotta is an assassin, Esai Morales his target, Andy Garcia a dying drugs lord and Armand Assante a very dubious priest. It's almost impossible to follow with too many characters involved in too many double-crosses and with too many needless flashbacks though there is a neat 'explanatory' twist at the end. Fleshed out a bit this might have made a good six part series; as it is it's over before it really gets started. Dedicated to the city of Tijuana it's also unlikely to encourage anyone, not involved in the drugs trade, to go there for a visit.

The Line, or La Linea as it was released under, is a downbeat little film about American assassin Mark Shields (Ray Liotta), following him as he navigates the treacherous political and criminal terrain in Mexico, right around the time of a suspected overthrow and shift in cartel power. The leader of the tijuana cartel (a listless Andy Garcia) is terminally ill, and a sadistic young upstart (Esai Morales) wants to take over the business. This creates a lot of commotion and violence, much of which is dealt out by Liotta, with the help of a great big sniper rifle. Now the plot is pretty muddled, and I saw it a lot time ago. I was never really clear who Liotta is actually working for, the Mexican faction or a couple shady agency dudes (Joe Morton and Bruce Davison). In any case, he's wounded in a gunfight and takes shelter with a Mexican woman (Valerie Cruz) and her son in a small village nearby. It's a meandering little film that doesn't quite know if it wants to be an action flick, a drug war docudrama or a noirish character study, but dabbles in all three before arriving at a conclusion that I had to rewind at least three times to understand, and then still didn't get it. Armand Assante wanders around as a mysterious preacher, Danny Trejo shows his mug as a deadly cartel assassin, as well as Gary Daniels and Kevin Gage in smaller roles. Not really a great flick, but peppered with enough familiar faces and genre tradition to garner some interest.

This is one of those films that has so many characters in it that it's very easy to lose track of the plot as people discuss their intricate relationships and interactions. I enjoyed the film and was engrossed in it, but frequently lost due to the many twists and turns. Of course part of the appeal is wondering just who is doing what to whom and why, so perhaps this isn't as much of a problem as I'm making it out to be.

It's a very well-made, well-acted film with a great cast and exotic, frightening location. I doubt it will do much for tourism to Tijuana, but it is a very taut, timely movie that will hold your interest. There are a few typical clichés (the hooker with the heart of gold - Mexicans who speak English to each other even when there are no native English speakers around), but these are kept to a minimum. Ray Liota is one of the producers of the film, but it's not "his" movie. In fact, Andy Garcia does a superb job of being quietly creepy and even a bit sympathetic.

If you're looking for a powerful, somewhat dark drama, The Line fits the bill excellently.

I was invited to a private screening of "La Linea" here in Los Angeles, but really didn't know what to expect. I have to say though that I really thought the film was something special, it reminded why I love independent film so much. From the intelligent, refreshing plot, layered and interesting characters,to the beautiful cinematography (reminiscent of Traffic, Man on Fire, etc). I also thought the music was really cool in the film (will have to check out who did it). I just think La Linea delivered on all fronts, and truly deserves all the accolades and attention I feel it will receive.

Im looking forward to seeing it again when it comes out.