Heroic

“David Zonana’s sophomore feature as writer/director shows a lot of talent. He said in his intro that he’s been able to find his style in this second film.

“Luís, an Indigenous young man from Mexico City, applies to the Mexican Military Academy, where he’ll become an officer in four years. We’re led to believe he’s only doing it to get health insurance for his diabetic mother. Unfortunately, he catches the eye of his vicious sergeant, and is singled out for good treatment. But Luís is not the kind of young man who can let abuse of his fellow soldiers go unnoticed, or unreported.

“HEROIC demonstrates the sadism and violence built into Mexico’s military, whose sloganeering is about protecting the rights and freedoms of all. Lead Santiago Sandoval was in the military in real life and does very good work here.

“Zonana directs in a classical style, by which I mean that animated sequences don’t suddenly break in, like so many other films I’ve been seeing! Cinematographically, the film makes great use of the wide screen with repeated shots of the line of beds in the cadets’ dorm—their vulnerable place, contrasting with the Academy’s parade grounds that claim the edge of a mountaintop, and the monumental Aztec sculpture overlooking the parade grounds, reminding us constantly of violent sacrifice.

“The movie is low-budget but doesn’t look it. I was thinking, what military campus would allow a critique of the military to be filmed there? One great accomplishment was finding a location. Production design and sound design are also very good. 4 cats.

“I’m motivated to look for Zonana’s first movie, WORKFORCE.”