No Man's Land

"No Man's Land" sets up two families on either side of the border. I expected a lot from this movie as the cast seemed unbeatable. The plot and the main characters were also shaky. After the Greer family bump into illegal Mexicans on their property in the middle of the night, Jackson (Jake Allyn) tries to help but ends up shooting and killing Gustavo's (Jorge A. Jimenez) young son Fernando (Alessio Valentini) in the chaos.

When Jackson's father (Frank Grillo) tries taking the blame, Ramirez (George Lopez), a Texas Ranger, suspects the cover up. Jackson flees south into Mexico. On his journey to nowhere, Jackson starts to realize that his neighbours across the border are people too and he starts to develop a bond with Mexico (and a Mexican girl of course). This movie shows that the world is growing apart and racism and prejudgment are ample. The whole storyline is very predictable. Regarding the performances, the most captivating ones are from George Lopez, Jorge Jimenez and Jake Allyn. And always nice to see Frank Grillo in a movie. He never disappoints. Watchable but missing a kick and a twist.

After reading the summary I thought it would be one of those border movies where people migrate, drugs get trafficked and patrols do their job. However, I was pleasantly surprised this one had a surprising twist. This movie is about guilt, forgiveness, family and life decisions - all packaged in a modern Western. Cinematography, acting and plot were all outstanding, this is a movie you shouldn't miss. Some reviewers may focus on the aspect of illegal immigration alone; while this is the initial plot of the movie, the further course of the film isn't focused on it.

But just not told very well. Acting was great. The premise was great. It just felt disconnected in parts.

I thought it was a beautiful tale of remorse and redemption. A young man kills a young boy accidently. He is driven to find the boy's father to ask forgiveness.

This thoughtful film could have been a minor modern epic if it had been given a stronger script. As is, it holds interest until some poorly developed story details begin to become too obvious. It's also photographically patchy, with cheap handheld shots bringing down the better-constructed sequences. Some distracting editing in the first half won't help it gain the attention the overall story is straining for - a pity because the whole thing has very good intentions as we follow a young man's attempts to redeem himself for an accidental killing.

Performances are sincere with the casting generally convincing, it's just the weak moments in the script that let it down. Music is well used throughout including a couple of interesting songs and the outdoor locations standing in for the Tex-Mex border add impact - those who don't feel the need to analyse their entertainment won't mind the flaws, others may be let down.