This review's title is a memorable quote delivered by Professor Alan Monroe (played by Robert Kerman) in the notorious and infamous horror film "Cannibal Holocaust" about what happened to the filmmakers that disappeared in the jungle while filming a documentary about "Uncivilized" nations and their behavior. The similarity between "Cannibal Holocaust" and "La Zona" is that both films tell stories about the decadence of supposedly civilized societies and the way "civilized" people behave in situation of danger.
La Zona is an enclosed and wealth neighborhood in Mexico that has its peace disturbed after two events: a pole fell in one of the walls of the place leaving the whole neighborhood without electricity and without the surveillance cameras that films everything that occurs around it. When that pole fell down three thieves entered in the neighborhood and they tried to steal one of the houses, but they got caught by the owner, an old lady who threats them with a gun. One of the thieves attacked the lady and then the camera moves forward and we know that she was killed, a security guard was accidentally killed by one the residents and two of the thieves were murdered by the neighbors during the escape. One of the residents called the police after hearing a shot but a group of residents decide that the whole event was a mistake claiming that the shot was on the other side of the fence, an enormous and poor neighborhood.
Everything I mentioned here happened in the first 10 minutes of movie. The main plot of the film is the union of supposed civilized people against the thief that managed to escape but got trapped in the neighborhood. The residents decide that the police must not know what happened and they got to find the thief and kill him, and make justice with their own hands.
Alejandro (Daniel Tovar) is a teenage boy, son of one the leaders of the team that wants to catch the thief, and he's excited with everything that's happening and he also wants to catch this guy. One night he discovers that the thief is hidden in the basement of his house but he doesn't delivers him to the residents after he finds out that the thief is an innocent teenage boy just like him. Alejandro's reaction might surprise you but we had the chance to know that he's only trying to get more perspective on the subject. Why his father and the other residents wants to catch and kill the thief? Does that teen killed a woman?
Alejandro works as the audience's conscious, and so does his mother and some of the residents opponents to this hunt. But that doesn't mean he's a likable character, after all there's no such thing here in this movie. Just when you think you're starting to like some of the characters someone does something that you might dislike or hate it. One example of that thesis is the chief of police (Mario Zaragoza) that investigates what happened at La Zona. He's a tough guy surrounded by deep problems, his chief's always trying to keep away of the residents of La Zona claiming that they're influential people that don't like to be bothered. He knows that's something is wrong and he starts to investigate. He becomes a hateful character after many decisions he starts to made when his investigation is becoming a failure.
Director Rodrigo Plá made here a powerful and shocking statement over the "civilized" people and their so called acts of superiority towards the poor. When they want to make the chief of police go away the residents think that offer him money would help. Wrong. By making justice with their own hands and trying to act like a punisher in order to sustain security and peace in the neighborhood residents only make things worst even punishing the residents that were opposed to the thief's chase. Here it was proved that police won't help even if they want it, the security of the place won't help when people needed most (when the power went down and the pole fell on the wall no one appeared to see what happened and no one saw the thieves coming in). It also has a disguised critic of countries where common people can bear guns without knowing how to use it. For instance when one of the residents accidentally shot a security guard (this scene isn't showed in the movie). This a proof that educated people (the residents) can make worst things when they want to be equal as the poor thieves presented here. Who were the savages? Us or the thieves? I'm not defending the thieves, they did it bad things too, but when a solution is offered and you refuse it by acting like the ones who harmed you you're doing wrong too and you're doing worst and dangerously.
Thrilling, involving, thought provoking, "La Zona" is a movie to be debated not only because of this subject, but also because of the way it handled with the subject. I don't know if in Mexico it was considered an art film or a Blockbuster hit, but I know that if Hollywood wanted to make a remake it would be way different of what it is, with more action, more likable characters and certainly the ending would be different. I'll spoil the fun a little bit: the thief kid is caught by the residents (I won't say what happens to him, but it's something to be reminded over and over again for those who got different perspectives about what was said in this review). If this story has proximity with reality I really can't say, but it made me think about the place where I live. What would happen if something similar happened here? I can think of many answers but let's try to make this reality only present in the movies. 10/10
La Zona is an enclosed and wealth neighborhood in Mexico that has its peace disturbed after two events: a pole fell in one of the walls of the place leaving the whole neighborhood without electricity and without the surveillance cameras that films everything that occurs around it. When that pole fell down three thieves entered in the neighborhood and they tried to steal one of the houses, but they got caught by the owner, an old lady who threats them with a gun. One of the thieves attacked the lady and then the camera moves forward and we know that she was killed, a security guard was accidentally killed by one the residents and two of the thieves were murdered by the neighbors during the escape. One of the residents called the police after hearing a shot but a group of residents decide that the whole event was a mistake claiming that the shot was on the other side of the fence, an enormous and poor neighborhood.
Everything I mentioned here happened in the first 10 minutes of movie. The main plot of the film is the union of supposed civilized people against the thief that managed to escape but got trapped in the neighborhood. The residents decide that the police must not know what happened and they got to find the thief and kill him, and make justice with their own hands.
Alejandro (Daniel Tovar) is a teenage boy, son of one the leaders of the team that wants to catch the thief, and he's excited with everything that's happening and he also wants to catch this guy. One night he discovers that the thief is hidden in the basement of his house but he doesn't delivers him to the residents after he finds out that the thief is an innocent teenage boy just like him. Alejandro's reaction might surprise you but we had the chance to know that he's only trying to get more perspective on the subject. Why his father and the other residents wants to catch and kill the thief? Does that teen killed a woman?
Alejandro works as the audience's conscious, and so does his mother and some of the residents opponents to this hunt. But that doesn't mean he's a likable character, after all there's no such thing here in this movie. Just when you think you're starting to like some of the characters someone does something that you might dislike or hate it. One example of that thesis is the chief of police (Mario Zaragoza) that investigates what happened at La Zona. He's a tough guy surrounded by deep problems, his chief's always trying to keep away of the residents of La Zona claiming that they're influential people that don't like to be bothered. He knows that's something is wrong and he starts to investigate. He becomes a hateful character after many decisions he starts to made when his investigation is becoming a failure.
Director Rodrigo Plá made here a powerful and shocking statement over the "civilized" people and their so called acts of superiority towards the poor. When they want to make the chief of police go away the residents think that offer him money would help. Wrong. By making justice with their own hands and trying to act like a punisher in order to sustain security and peace in the neighborhood residents only make things worst even punishing the residents that were opposed to the thief's chase. Here it was proved that police won't help even if they want it, the security of the place won't help when people needed most (when the power went down and the pole fell on the wall no one appeared to see what happened and no one saw the thieves coming in). It also has a disguised critic of countries where common people can bear guns without knowing how to use it. For instance when one of the residents accidentally shot a security guard (this scene isn't showed in the movie). This a proof that educated people (the residents) can make worst things when they want to be equal as the poor thieves presented here. Who were the savages? Us or the thieves? I'm not defending the thieves, they did it bad things too, but when a solution is offered and you refuse it by acting like the ones who harmed you you're doing wrong too and you're doing worst and dangerously.
Thrilling, involving, thought provoking, "La Zona" is a movie to be debated not only because of this subject, but also because of the way it handled with the subject. I don't know if in Mexico it was considered an art film or a Blockbuster hit, but I know that if Hollywood wanted to make a remake it would be way different of what it is, with more action, more likable characters and certainly the ending would be different. I'll spoil the fun a little bit: the thief kid is caught by the residents (I won't say what happens to him, but it's something to be reminded over and over again for those who got different perspectives about what was said in this review). If this story has proximity with reality I really can't say, but it made me think about the place where I live. What would happen if something similar happened here? I can think of many answers but let's try to make this reality only present in the movies. 10/10