Transpecos (2016) Reviews

• drug deal gone bad

  cdcrb2016-09-13

  three u.s. border guards in a desolate part of new Mexico looking for drugs being smuggled into America. things go terribly wrong and that's when the story gets going. this is a little movie and should be enjoyed for what it is. the three actors, all new to me, were very good. I can't give away too much, but I can say that it's a drug deal gone bad and one of the guards is in a lot of trouble. the story is convoluted, yes, but the way it plays out is very effective and intense. even though it's only a movie, I was very much on the edge of my seat, in anticipation of something bad happening at any minute. this is greg kewdar's first film directing and to me it's not unlike "hell or high water", which is quite a coincidence.

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• Has a gritty realism to it that is hard maintain if not done well...this was!

  rbchill-875-199862016-09-22

  Just had to say something about this movie. Rarely have I encountered a film, let alone the first major film of a director, where stark realism can project such meaningful and unexpected dialogue. This is the kind of film that some won't appreciate because, at times, scenes appear 'convoluted' or illogical. However, from beneath these seemingly illogical scenes arises a continuity that is as refreshing as it is unpredictable, and from seemingly illogical actions imparts a strong feeling of authenticity. This is the hallmark of realism, and Director/Producer/Writer Greg Kwedar understands this. When one of the Border Patrol Agents (BPA) first pulls his gun against his fellow agents you know something sinister is at work. But most scenes after this don't happen quite the way one would expect. BPA Flores thinks he can fix the situation but finds out he can't; BPA Hobbs thinks guilt rests entirely with BPA Davis (the agent who first pulled the gun) but as the plot unwinds we begin to understand that this isn't really the case; and Davis(?), well he realizes that he was 'cursed' all along. The unpredictable nature of circumstance is always at play and always rings true. The scene in the garage with the cartel employed 'bad guy' who doesn't turn out to be so bad, the way Hobbs dies, the illegal immigrants who choose to give up their freedom to help dying Flores, the scene in the Border Patrol office where everything gets swept under the carpet...none of these things were expected but they all add up to an experience that, along with everything else, yields a truly remarkable and authentically realistic film.

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• Disappointed

  Sicknology2016-09-16

  I was really looking forward to watching this after viewing the trailer, add that to the fact I like Clifton Collins Jr acting. It's a slow burn but usually i like this kind of film, it's just disappointing that the story was feeble and had so many 'what did he do that for?!" moments. The trailer is the film because the rest of the story really makes no sense and could have been written a lot better. Up to the moment when the Officer makes his big story changing line 'He can't call it in' it was going rather well, the setting was interesting and the acting was spot on. But this is where it ended for me, it crumbled into a mess of scenes that seemed to be thrown in just to finish the film. A 4 out of 10 at most.

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• Surprisingly better than I expected 7.5/10

  TheTopDawgCritic2016-09-10

  Surprisingly better than I expected 7.5/10 (wish I could give half stars - better than a 7 but not quite an 8, but got the 8 anyway) Going into this with no A-list actors, I wasn't expecting much but must say, although it was a slow progressing movie (86 mins was perfect), I still enjoyed it. The acting was actually quite good, the cinematography and location setting was excellent as was the score. The director did a great job putting this all together and making you feel you were right there feeling the anxiety of the actors and the situation. There were some parts that needed improvement, such as the opening scene with the guy getting dragged out of the trunk - would have liked some more background on that part, as well as more of an ending. This was no Sicario by any means, nor did it have the actors to support it, but overall for a movie that was a little slow (and I'm not one to sit through long dragged out movies), this one kept me anxious and following the storyline with anticipation. The ending was also a little convoluted... who where the group of people that shot them, and where the Border Patrol higher-ups in on this scheme, as the report of the amount they retrieved was much less than the actual initial find. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend Transpecos as a Netflix & Chill type movie night. Cheers!

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• The movie spiraled out of control

  leefoo-12017-04-14

  After Davis took the other guards hostage, it was just one unbelievable scene after another. At no time did I believe Flores would do the things he did. Especially after he knocked out Davis and got the gun (and even up until then, there were too many WTFs) The acting was solid, but the script was just awful. It was just one unbelievable scene after another. And then the tacked on poor ending wrapped it all up. The 5.8 rating is a little high, imo.

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