Border Town

Border Town has several things going for it. Great cinematography, beautiful lighting, solid and natural performances from the 2 leads Mark Joy and Linda Rodriguez, and visual effects that blend nicely into the film giving it an at times dreamlike quality.

It also has several things working against it. Pacing is a little slow, some performances not quite solid, dialog is standard fare, standard action scenes as well (I'm sure due to budget limitations). It's difficult for a film to stand out based purely on technical expertise these days, as there are so many films that are made well visually. Yes, Border Town is a character study of those populating the film, but it also presents itself as an action film. And there is part of the problem as well, because the film hinges on the final action scene which is staged in such a manner that the viewer's disbelief is not suspended for the time it takes to play out. Don't know if I can recommend the film wholeheartedly, but certainly recognize it as a worthy effort from those involved and will keep it in the DVD collection.

"Border Town," (2009). Starring Mark Jay, Linda Kennedy, and Ricard Melendez. Director, Chris Allen Williams. This is one of those films that you have to warm up to. You know immediately that it's an independent film. The credits remind one of the fifties westerns television credits such as the ones which were sketches of Cheyenne and Lawman. The first scenes lead to a situation in a cafe on a desolate border town road. The acting is a bit campy and over the top. But subsequent scenes show a marked improvement in acting and direction. And immediately the viewer notices that Border Town has a graphic novel feel, similar to Sin City and Desperado. This film is very much a guy flick. Lovely Spanish ladies in the clutches of human traffickers, and her father is a one-man army out to rescue his daughter. A loose senorita with a heart of gold, wielding a shotgun, backs up the dad. Lots of guns, explosions, and a score with guitar music giving just the right flavor to the mix. The editing of the action scenes was excellent and exciting, fitting together well, but did not detract from the plot. The flashbacks had some layered, focusing technique that I thought worked really well. A gratuitous sex scene could have fit into this plot easily, but the writer, to his credit, chose not exploit the possibility, maintaining the integrity of the father in his quest to retrieve his daughter from the traffickers. Although the director used unknown actors and had a limited budget, I found this film entertaining and quite well done. I give it 8 of 10 stars.

We've seen the story here done a few times and better at that, but for an indie with a low budget it's watchable, even entertaining, if you get past some of the predictability and the rote, many times laughable dialog. To be in a genre with past masters like Sergio Leonne and even newer homage paying directors like Robert Rodriquez, well, the going is tough as it sets the bar almost beyond indie reach (I know I'm going be called for this as Rodriquez did amazing stuff as an indie, but he definitely is more the exception than the rule).

It isn't a classic by any stretch, but with better dialog and more cinematic, "film-like" (i.e. not video) visuals it would likely be a stronger contender as the actors and actresses, though unknown, turn in decent characterizations. As you can tell, I find it lacking a bit yet entertaining enough to watch.

"Border Town" A Law Less Modern Day Mexican Western spins a tale of a deadly town disarmingly affable--and the small-time family man, desperate enough to find his only Daughter. It aims to be a straight-up Mexican Western and deliver the excitement and charisma the genre's fans are starved for. Recognizing that contemporary viewers might be out of touch with the simplicity and strength of the genre--not to mention its code of honor-- This is a surprisingly GREAT movie! Great action climax, the crossfire of personal agendas is almost as frenetic as the copious gun play. Actors performances are sincere and aching and sometimes comedic ( Newcomer Linda Rodriguez who plays Isabella has a Fearless and Provocative performance -- not to be missed ) The greatest part of "Border Town" is that it transcends all boundaries: race, gender, class and region. Having never seen a modern day Law Less Mexican WESTERN film, "Border Town" proves there is a whole genre that is being ignored. Thankfully, "Border Town" has been able to break a door down.

"Border Town" is a must Watch-