Without a smidge of explanatory backstory, we’re driving thru rural Mexico: five guys on holiday (‘bros’ to judge by the banter) on a freshly paved two-lane road when, wham!, we’re ‘T-boned.’ It’s an ambush. Robbers? Terrorists? Drug cartel killers? Boy!, did they pick the wrong car. Those ‘guys’ are an elite military attack team. A quick pivot and defense turns offense, the ‘bros’ working as a well oiled group and the attackers quickly going down. It’s a prologue that plays out like a variation on those small-time crooks who unknowing steal from the mob. If only, the script went with this idea. Instead, we jump back three days for hoary explanations. Our ‘vacationers’ indeed are an elite military unit (think Navy Seals), on downtime after a successful mission against a major crime organization (Cartel/Sicario). That’s who’s out for revenge. We also get a collateral kidnapping: Mom and pregnant teenage daughter. Soon, our five warriors are on the run to reach a safe pick-up spot after another battle to free the two women, with the odds heavily stacked against them amid an unending supply of vicious replacements. Plus a Government Cabinet Secretary with fresh info corrupted by unlimited mob cash as an informer. Much of this constant pulsating action well-handled by director Chava Cartas, but darn familiar. If we knew less it might have played better. What sticks with you are the bust-ready facial planes of team leader Luis Alberti, an all-in-one study in Mexican identity.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *If you switch to the English language track, you might think you were watching one of those CBS international crime shows Like SWAT which Alberti has guested on.
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