Review of Cartel Land

Nominated for Best Documentary at the 88th Academy Awards. 2015's 'Cartel Land', is gripping. Why, because it dares to go, somewhere, where other documentaries fail to do. It goes to the frontline of the War on Drugs, outside the protection of the corrupt government, especially with vigilante groups fighting Mexican drug cartels, showing us, how brutal and violence, life can be for some, living in South of the Border. Directed by Matthew Heineman, while the movie doesn't explore, all of the fights against the cartels in Mexico. It focus on one of the most brutal gangs with Knights Templar Cartel fighting against the citizen forces of Michoacán, a Mexican state. While, most of the movie is in Spanish in places where people barely heard of, it's still a gritty well-thought story that will cross over to the majority of English speaking-America audiences, as drug trafficking has become a major problem for both countries for many years, now. Without spoiling 'Cartel Land' too much, I have to say, while the story of Autodefensas (Self-Defender Force) was very compelling, with all the raids and gun-fights sequences. Even the clashes with the Mexican government is worth the watch on its own; but I do have to say, the other story with Tim "Nailer" Foley and the Arizona Border Recon was not. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind, having border patrols, but their story really lack any excitement. It's borderline, boring, most of the time. It made for some really bad pacing issues, when they cut away from the intense story in Mexico to the one in Arizona. I really didn't like it. For a place that supposed to be 'the Wild West', most of the time, the group just watch television, eat BBQ and go on, nature walks, dressed up as Army Rangers, harassing illegal immigrants, just looking to get away from poverty, rather than seeking out the cartel that making these people's lives, horrible. I also don't like, how cocky and badass, they think they are. They don't know, how lucky, they are, compare to the people living in Michoacán, where gunfights on the streets, and people getting their heads cut off is a common occurrence. Their quiet little town, might be near the border, but it's still far away from 'Cartel Land' as it gets. The idea that U.S. government have failed to protect the citizens of the border towns from Mexican gang violence is just absurd. It's safer, here, than it is, in Mexico, five times over. Also, for a group that says, that they're not racists. The interview speech about fences says, otherwise. Also, based on what this documentary is presenting, I don't think the leader of Arizona Border Recon is doing this, as a righteous cause, like he says it is. Instead, it felt like he was doing this, for selfish, cocky reasons, looking for scapegoat outlet for his past drug abuse and father issues. He seem insane and a psycho. Its things like this that made the Arizona Border Recon parts, cringe-worthy. Don't get me wrong, the leaders of Autodefensas were equally as unethical as the Arizona Border Recon, but they felt more necessary roughs in the edge, because, how they truly do live in a hellhole. So, to see them, order murders, breaking and entertaining, beating and torturing their capturers. It felt less, shocking, because how truly, war-like the failed nation has become. While, the movie doesn't show, much of the Autodefensas flaws at first. Overtime, they became just as dark as the criminals, they sworn to fight against. Because of this, I don't believe that Dr. José Manuel Mireles Valverde and the second in command who doesn't want, his real-life name out, Papa Pituno, aka Papa Smurf are just not the heroes, the film first portrayal them to be. Seeing Dr. Mireles cheat on his marriage, do nothing to stop the corruption, and abandoned the cause, basically show, how easily, human beings in this nation can lose their way. The lack of concern for human life is staggering and it shows. It's f-up, as much as the corruption. The twist toward the end, shows that. It's bitter & depressing. Overall: While, some of the footage can be extremely graphic that can make some viewers sick. I do have to give mad props for the filmmakers of this film has taken great personal risks to get the footage to US audiences, as it brings great insight on how violence, life is, over there. In the end, this is one powerful documentary that everybody need to see.