Undescribable Perfection

A Masterpiece!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Desierto tells the tale of a pack of immigrants besieged by a frustrated patriot who is picking them off one by one as they attempt to cross the border. Part social commentary & part thriller, Desierto isn't completely successful on both counts. The villain is thinly drawn to the point if he had a mustache, he'd twirl it & the entering Mexicans are saintly & well meaning also suffer from the same lack of characterization so we're left w/a sense of a story told but not very well.

Moises (Gael García Bernal) is crossing the American-Mexican border with a group of other illegals. Their truck breaks down and they're walking across the desert. Moises helps those who have fallen behind. The leading group is massacred by lone gunman Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Moises and the remaining survivors are pursued by Sam and his dog.It's a simple man hunting man movie. It's basic B-movie. The premise gets on the political radar and both sides find fault in this. One should ignore trying to make a policy statement from a pulpy B-movie. That's all this is and it can't support more than that. More than anything, I would change some of the events. Moises seems to be the helpful type at first. When the dog first attacked, he should go back to help. Somebody should pick up a rock at least. He seems to be smart and calm. He should be able understand that with a dog, the gunman will track them down one by one without a doubt. Later, there is a moment when Moises abandons Adela. It may be logical but it's ill-fitting emotionally. Those are the only two scenes with which I have a problem. Otherwise, this is simple B-movie and Gael is a great actor.

As a film director I found the movie simple and great, interesting mix. Its a very believable story and makes you really care about the characters. It presents a very good topic but if you are prejudiced you shouldn't watch the movie. Its unfair that people give reviews based on their personal values instead of really talking about the movie, I can see that happening in the comments section. I have this movie on the list of movies that I aspire to create or at least study.

This film kills time. The desert did not feel hot. I thought the acting sufficient and the girl was above the rest. We don't care too much about the characters but it is precisely a good point to make us in the skin of witnesses. A witness does not usually know who the bandits or the victims are. Without caring personally, we get to care, especially for the bad guy to get down of course. How to get away form a guy with a gun and an attack dog is the riddle. The pursuit turns comedic toward the end. The film is not too serious. The gun is not quite real and I think it is purposefully done so that people with guns don't think the killer to be smart.