El cártel (2009)

Too much of everything

Sick Product of a Sick System

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

this movie is chula!!! the scene in the movie where they are running drugs on the fishing boats was true to life. thats how many of the cartels get their drugs up from south America to Mexico. when i saw it, i coudldn't believe that someone knew about it!!! i saw it once when i was growing up. it was just like that but in real life there are way more people and way more squid.the movie is good especially if you speak English and Spanish because it has words in both. film quality and actors good too especially delores. she was sexxy!!!if you grew up in a cartel town then this movie probably made you homesick!!! it did me.

Okay... So I saw the movie trailer on youtube and decided to put it in my Netflix queue. I'm not one to watch independent films, preferring to reserve my time for the bigger films that my kids will like. But I'm actually glad I strayed from the norm on this one.I judge a film on how much it gets into my head. My husband and I watched this last night (not one for the kiddos me thinks) and I woke up this morning thinking about it. The film itself was pretty good. Acting was descent. Story was descent. Message and moral of the film was superb! I'm not sure if the film makes me want to chase my dreams, or be happy with the fact that I've decided to let them pass me by, but it's definitely got me thinking that I should start revisiting all the things I wanted to do when I was a kid. And if I decide to "go for it," as the movie's main character would say, I'll make sure I do a little bit better preparing than he did! haha

An interesting story about an American journalist who uses familial connections to arrange an interview with Latin America's most successful "narcotraficante." Mistakenly thinking it's the opportunity of a lifetime, this journalist plunges – quite naively – into the belly of a gritty Mexican underworld.While the story was intriguing, the movie's real standouts are its villains – Angel Santana and his cartel cronies. As the story unfolds, the film teaches 13 "principles" behind this infamous drug lord's success. The irony is that they also apply to all of us, providing the film's underlying "moral" – if you stick to your principles and adhere to your values, things tend to go well (although not always perfectly). And if you don't? Well, watch the movie and you'll see.Kudos are also warranted for the film's cinematography (some of the shots are simply breathtaking). If only all low-budget indie films had this much thought and production value. -- B.T. Corbett

How rare is it to find something at the video store that totally exceeds your expectations?! I spend a lot of time traveling and working in Mexico, so I'm familiar with a lot of the great actors from that country, and when I saw this on the shelf at Blockbuster I decided to give it a try. It was a pleasant surprise.This film takes a clever, original idea about writing a traditional how-to-succeed-in-business book about a ruthless drug lord and runs with it. Sure it's not a big budget picture, but the actors are all deeply committed to their roles and deliver great performances. Jose Luis Franco is a standout as Angel Santana, the kingpin, and Mauricio Islas is great as Santos, his enforcer. What I enjoyed most about this film was the backstory of these two criminals growing up together, and rising to the top.If you want a lot of big budget explosions and car chases, watch a Michael Bay film, but if you want a fresh take on a crime thriller with fascinating characters, then rent this movie. Thumbs up!