Review of Get the Gringo (2012) by Sean B — 22 Oct 2012

Get the Gringo (2012).

Seanâ(TM)s rating: 5/10.

I love how Hollywood can sell literally anything. When I saw the cover of âGet the Gringoâ? and read âfrom the producers who brought you Apocalypto and Braveheartâ¦â? I thought to myself that âGet the Gringoâ? was going to be great. I thought wrong. The film, written by and starring Mel Gibson, had a semi-interesting story filled with decent fight scenes. The problem that arises is it has been done over and over and over⦠I think you get the point.

While I tend to enjoy a mindless action flick now and again, this one just kept me thinking of âPaybackâ? and âRansomâ? which were both Gibson films in the 90â(TM)s. The Scoop: Driver, played by Gibson, ends up getting caught in a heist that leaves him on the border of the United States and Mexico. Mexican authorities take him to a prison that seems like a typical Tijuana street corner as it was privatized and owned by a wealthy Mexican Gangster. Little do we know; the Gangster has other intentions while running this prison as his health is in poor condition and he is seeking a certain blood type to help lengthen the number of years he still has to live. This, mixed in with several million dollars gone missing from a millionaire tycoon, played by the cameo king Peter Stormare (The Big Lebowski, Wilfred), ends up creating quite the climactic ending that results in a shoot â~em up fiasco.

Clean camera movements and proper shot composition made me enjoy all camera aspects as Benoà (R)t Debie (The Runaways, Irreversible) was the Director of Photography. I tend to enjoy most films director Adrian Grunberg has worked on, but most of his experience has been as a 1st Assistant Director with such films as Apocalypto (2006), Jarhead (2005), Man on Fire (2004), and Traffic (2000). This was his directorial debut and knowing this made it clear to me why this film lacked a bit. This, and the story written by Gibson and Grunberg, seemed like they were trying to emulate the formula of past success films with similar fight scenes, violence, situations and Gibsonâ(TM)s witty one-liners.

The original score was the strongest part of this film done by one of my favorite composers: Antonio Pinto. Pintoâ(TM)s work in Love in the Time of Cholera is to die for. He surely is someone to keep an eye out for as he emulates similar music styles of Gustavo Santaolalla (Motorcycle Diaries, Amores Perros, and Brokeback Mountain) and they are both extremely talented guitar players. Someone else to keep an eye out for is Gibsonâ(TM)s co-star, Kevin Hernandez (The Sitter, My Name is Earl). Hernandez plays the kid who befriends Gibsonâ(TM)s character creating an unlikely friendship between the two. Hernandez did pretty well in the film and I look forward to seeing his progress in the industry.

I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who enjoys mindless, shoot â~em up violent films. Gibson always finds a way to add some comedic relief, and this film was no different. Technically speaking, this film was spot on in all departments, but with lack of directing experience from Grunberg and an overly saturated plot; this film fell apart to me. I look forward to seeing Grunberg find his way in the industry as a director since he has been super successful as a 1st A.D.

On another note, I was happy to see Gibson getting back into roles like this. It has been a while since he was in a film of this nature and deep down it made me excited for what is to come. I know he can direct as Apocalypto is one of my favorite films in recent years, but seeing him act in a role like this made me think back to past films I grew up on and enjoyed like Payback and the Lethal Weapon series.

*Rated R, 96 minute run-time, English with parts in Spanish with English Subtitles.