Zoë Bell's skill as a stunt performer is indisputable, and she has demonstrated fine capability as an actor, too. I'm not expressly familiar with filmmaker Josh C. Waller or writer Daniel Noah, but in the very least both have some significant credits to their names as producers, and while it wasn't perfect I very much enjoyed Waller's previous feature 'Raze,' also starring Bell. The premise sounds very promising; in addition to some fine cinematography from Noah Greenberg, the instances of still photography that we see at select points are a sight for sore eyes, too. As the narrative picks up Kreng's original score, harsh and discordant, lends considerable ambience to the proceedings, and the sound design and fundamental image are both crisp and vivid. The stunts, effects, fight choreography, and action sequences at large are outstanding; the cast give admirable performances. From costume design, hair, and makeup, to filming locations and sets, all the basics of the picture are splendid, and 'Camino' can boast high production values among the best of contemporary fare. If you want an action thriller, you've got it, and overall it's solid, including firm direction.
"Solid," however, does not necessarily mean flawless, and with all due respect to Noah, the screenplay is without question the Achilles heel of this movie. The major shifts in the story - that beat around the half-hour mark that distinctly kicks off the action, and the later beat around the one-hour mark wherein supporting characters gain a clear picture of the situation - are weak and unconvincing, plot points written in outline form without the supporting narrative structure at any time to help them feel sensible. Characters are very poorly written and make choices that are utterly flummoxing, including even protagonist Avery; too much of the dialogue is outright rubbish, to say nothing of discrete, baffling decisions as to how Spanish and English are used. Even action sequences are flimsily inserted, providing a shower of sparks at irregular intervals with their violence but not being meaningfully and cohesively written into the course of events. The overall story is ultimately so light that it kind of feels unfinished, as if we're not really getting a complete saga. For example, there are mild suggestions at times of a psychological element, and 'Camino' could have been the corruption of a photojournalist who by necessity of survival becomes a killer; there are sideways intimations of something supernatural at work, or at least unnatural or mystical, and this angle could have been latched onto more concretely. There are also themes on hand that could have been explored more, including not least the perception of a moral grey area. Yet from beginning to end, in the plot ideas that we do get and in the scene writing, in the antagonist's "motivations" and in the specific experiences of our protagonist along the way, the writing instead comes off as an ill-considered, dubious jumble of half-baked, ill-fitting notions. There are good ideas here, certainly, but the form that they take individually and in combination simply do not make for a cogent, compelling viewing experience.
There really is a great deal to appreciate here, with terrific craftsmanship across the board, sharp action, and story ideas that could and should have been molded into something dark and gripping. Sadly, the film really just flounders when it comes to the particular shape that the screenplay takes: an excess of exposition, a chintzy ending, a massive info dump in the last stretch to explain all, and all-around choices that are irritating, tiresome, and/or perplexing. I see what 'Camino' could have been, and I don't for one moment doubt the earnestness of anyone's contributions. I don't doubt anyone's capabilities, either - save for Noah, unfortunately, whose writing in this instance leaves much to be desired. I'm glad for those who get more out of this than I do, and enjoy it more; I see strengths that are overshadowed by faults, and those faults rest entirely on the shoulders of one person. I feel bad being so critical, but we do no one any favors by giving false praise. I don't altogether dislike this flick, but it's no more than half of what it might have been. Watch if you like - it's best suggested for those who are major fans of Bell or someone else involved - but I think this needed a significant overhaul to meet its full potential.
