Miss Bala review: Gina Rodriguez’s unremarkable action thriller is good for a one time watch

Nothing really stands out in this remake of the 2011 Spanish film of the same name, although Rodriguez puts up a good enough effort

Story:

A Latin-American makeup artist, Gloria Fuentes, makes her way to Tijuana, Mexico to visit her friend Suzu, to help the latter prep for a beauty pageant. When the two young women visit a nightclub, they are caught in a crossfire between the police and a local drug cartel. Although Gloria narrowly escapes unharmed, she realises that Suzu has been kidnapped. Trying to rescue her friend, Gloria becomes a pawn in a dangerous game between the authorities and a vicious drug cartel.

Review:

An innocent bystander taking on crime lords in the name of their loved ones isn't exactly a groundbreaking concept when it comes to crime thrillers. They have been so done to death that it really takes something exemplary to make it stand out among the plethora of films that have flooded the genre of late, especially the ones that deal with the depravity of the drug cartels. Miss Bala sadly falls short in its attempt to stand out from the crowd, and becomes just another such film that is easily forgettable after the first watch.

The American remake of the 2011 Spanish film of the same name definitely had potential, seeing as the original had received widespread adulation for its storytelling and realism. But Catherine Hardwicke’s 2019 film chose to go for idealism over pragmatism, almost bordering on ridiculousness that becomes all the more glaring as the film progresses. Although an ordinary civilian with absolutely no experience with the crime world, Gloria seems to have the uncanny ability to be the only one among hardened criminals and seasoned police officers to come out of shoot outs without a scratch. She literally walks out of a rain of bullets that kills and maims almost everyone around her, without even a graze. Her going through the whole ordeal without losing her cool, being driven only by the immense love she has for her friend, is although touching but is definitely not something realistic.

And there’s the charming criminal stereotype, the villain you don't know whether to root for or not. When he doesn’t want to assault Gloria, he takes her out for tacos and tells her about his childhood. And of course, he has his own ideals and rationalisations for why he is a part of a brutal drug cartel, which almost seems like an attempt to garner a sympathetic view from audiences.

The film’s uneven pace doesn't do it any favours either. From a lagging first two acts, it rushes into the final one not giving enough leeway for the climactic part to to simmer. Gloria’s undercover assignment as a pageant winner will remind viewers of a shoddy attempt at a Miss Congeniality tribute. And the ending matches the far fetched tone throughout the movie as well.

The movie does have certain elements that go for it though. Gina Rodriguez’s performance as Gloria certainly tries to salvage the film, as not even a skilled actress can save a poorly written character. Gloria’s ever-changing loyalty which makes you wonder whose side she’s really on, the high tension scenes involving the ruthless cartels and the equally unsympathetic authorities, and other few elements in the story save it from being too formulaic.

Verdict:

While Miss Bala is a good example of a film that had potential, it didn't quite get there with its execution; its only saving grace is that it isn't boring. It has its moments and some scenes definitely generate enough tension to make up for the lagging plot.

Miss Bala can be streamed on Netflix.

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