Showcasing Mel Gibson's synonymous wise crackery for the first time since he bounced from the Lethal Weapon series, this ultra violent, choppy but fun action thriller proves once again that the multiple Oscar winner has lost none of his on screen charisma over the years. Gibson is great, and central to everything that works about this enjoyable flick.
Gibbo is a wrong sort, unnamed career criminal who ends up in a Mexican prison after he's caught trying to jump the boarder in a car with a couple of million dollars and dying accomplice. Swiftly thrown in a ramshackle prison that's more like a derelict holiday camp, he's quickly privy to the criminal hierarchy and corruptness of the warden. A wily sort, soon he's figured things out, but complications arise in the form of a young boy who's intrinsically linked to the gangland boss lavishly housed in the joint.
Few actors can break the fourth wall cohesively and not snap you out of the rhythm of a movie; while Gibson never actually turns and addresses the audience, his narration is all knowing and self aware with his gravelly tone perfectly setting up each carnage ridden scene. He has a face that screams "lived in" but with flashes of the matinee good looks that caused audiences to fawn over him for decades. Working with frequent collaborator (he's assisted Gibson on some of his directorial efforts) Adrian Grunberg, they've together made something both grimy and slick.
It's not without its faults of course. The final third is when the plot needs to kick in, and the film stalls a little there. The set-up is a tad convoluted, but it comes together nicely enough by the end credits. Special mention to young actor Kevin Hernandez who is excellent as the damned, but sharp kid who befriends the troubled "gringo."
If you don't take it too seriously (and ignore that awful title) there's plenty here to enjoy. Think early Robert Rodriguez filtered through Shane Black - just not THAT good.
