Review of Frontera (2014) by Eric H — 05 Sep 2014

A competent rehash of drama plots we've seen before, Ed Harris and Michael Pena manage to keep this film afloat with the sheer passion of their performances. That being said, Frontera goes off half-cocked, and fails to deliver on its promises.

It's clear by now that Harris enjoys Western films and the influences are obvious, from the settings to the music. It's a shame he couldn't explore its themes more comprehensively, and it seems clear to me that much of Frontera was left on the cutting room floor to fit into a 90 minute running time.

There are loose threads of plot left floating and multiple elements of the story that remain unsolved. Some scenes feel rushed and much of what happens to minor characters occurs off screen, perhaps having fallen victim to editing.

 The biggest issue is the fact that the mystery is answered immediately: we know "who dunnit". What's left to watch is a procedural where the criminals head inexorably toward a predictable fate, and the effects on those caught up in the crime.

Perhaps removing the perspective of the crooks would have made the film more suspenseful and interesting, as ultimately it turns into an episodic anthology of stories on the American-Mexican frontier.