El Gringo
2012, Directed by Eduardo Rodríguez
Scott Adkins is The Man…. A man crossing into Mexico with a satchel of $2,000,000, and a bloody past, finds himself under sudden attack in the sleepy town of El Fronteras
Scott is a more ordinary police officer on the run with a bag full of money. He is named ‘The Man’ and is having the shittiest day of his life.
The Man arrives in the town of El Fronteras, and all he wants is a glass of water and a bus ticket to Acapulco. But the lawless place has been taken over entirely by the local cartel, who now control every aspect and don’t exactly welcome new faces. Getting out of the lawless settlement will be harder than getting in, especially as word gets around about the contents of his luggage. Everyone wants a piece…
Of course, he finds out almost immediately that no one in town is willing to help him, nor is he able to leave, as the lady at the bus station claims there’s no bus coming until maybe tomorrow…
I only want water…
The movie is cool and the script is fun. There’s of course not a lot to the story but the action is almost nonstop and Adkins really shines as an action force to be reckoned with. This action in this movie is like a roller coaster and there’s never a dull moment. The movie is meant to entertain people and it does just that. Numerous people get kickboxed in the face, a bazillion are shot and some stuff blows up. Willfully over-the-top action.
non-stop action…
El Gringo is highly recommended for folks seeking out a modern-day take on a Spaghetti western. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve proudly and doesn’t take itself too seriously, except when it comes to the action, at which it is highly efficient.
Lots of extreme camera angles (gimmicky POVs, hero shots) keep it visually interesting. A little cartoonish, but in a good way. There’s one unique bit of filmatistic language: every time a character realizes they’re about to die their face turns black and white. The movie was filmed in Bulgaria.
every time a character realizes they’re about to die their face turns black and white..
Trailer
Gallery
