Tropicana
Council Member
The War Boys (2009)
Runtime: 92 minutes
Genre: Drama (SHOCK!)
Directed by: Ronald Daniels
Starring:
David, George, and Greg, best friends since high school, are “The War Boys”. They used to perch on the US-Mexican border, waiting to spot illegal immigrants who were trying to run into the United States. Sometimes, without a thought for the immigrants, the boys chased them across the wasteland and back across the border – just for fun. It was just one of those games boys played to make themselves feel big. But high school’s over now. David is unexpectedly home from his freshman year of college and the War Boys have been reunited. Now the boys come up with a new plan – they steal a truck from David’s father trucking company, filled with what they believe to be black market televisions. Their plan to sell them, make a quick buck and move to New York is complicated, however, when the contents of the truck prove to be much more sinister than the boys had thought. Meanwhile new feelings and relationships are forming between them, their friends, and their families. The young vigilantes finally come to realize that they are as vulnerable and as helpless as the immigrants they once chased across the border.
My review:
I saw the previews after OM1 shown me them a while back and he certainly peaked my interest so, 2 hrs ago I got this film and checked it out. Verdict: It was very good. I know, how could I... well not for the reasons one might think. Sure there was some boy on boy action that was pretty sexy and would have liked to see more of, but the reason why I enjoyed this film was to be honest, the lads and the fantastic Rosa (played by Micaela Nevarez) and storyline - David (Benjamin Walker) who has had feelings for George (Brian J. Smith), Greg (Victor Rusak) has a crush on Rosa, David's dad runs a black market business helping illegals gain entry into the United States and two sexy Mexican male twins (which we only see towards the end of the film sprawled half-naked dead).
This film is based on the premise that some are not comfortable with illegals entering the United States and that was what made this film fascinating. We have this character Greg of Mexican descent not knowing where he truly belongs or who he is, hangs out with David and George as social crutch terrorising illegals, does not dare speak a word of Spanish to other legal Mexicans in fear he will be looked down upon by others in the town, and yet I felt his friends would still accept him regardless. It wasn't until Rosa shows and slowly breaks him down and smooth the rough edges that made him have balls in the end.
The phrase, "boys will be boys" seems to come to mind, one camp you got the "War Boys" doing stupid shit like stealing a truck owned by David's father (which we find is actually filled with hash and illegal immigrants) and on the other camp, we got David and George who apparently fooled around when they were younger, (experimented if you will) and immediately David was my favourite character. So endearing so misunderstood, bored with the high expectations from his dad and he just wants to live. Of course it helps if he knew what da heck he wants out of life and that's where George comes in. George is a carefree kinda lad that only wants fun, get drunk and what not.
So I could understand why David's father didn't approve of George as David's lover, he didn't care that his son is gay, but it was the final showdown that highlighted how much of a man David was and how much the War Boys have grown since the start of the film; when they go to the truck (with Rosa) that they stole and parked in the desert for days, opened it up to find the hash and dead bodies; and as mentioned, the sexy twins, sprawled there half naked). And it donned on them, they had killed these people and the three shocked and unsure what to do next. Terrorising illegals was one thing, for fun; but now, they were responsible for all these deaths, it was heartbreaking for these are merely kids.
I was impressed with the character Greg, in that he stood up and realised afterall he is Mexican and these dead Mexicans were people too like him, they had lives, they had names and he wanted to give each one a burial, until David's dad shows up and started to point a gun at their heads telling them to leave the area. The epic bit was when the US Border Patrol shot David when he got the one over his dad and was pointing the gun at him. George cradling him as he lay there was beautiful, George yelling at the overhead helicopter, "We need help down here!"
With which the camera fades to white.
The opening and closing credits is done in the style similarly found on "The Walking Dead", so very scenic, music composition was beautiful. All in all, I enjoyed it. Seeing the characters David and George play with one another was cute, the touching, the looking, the kissing - very nice. It's not a must-see film I must admit, it's one of those if you got time, check it out. I just seriously hope that in RL, US Border Patrol aren't total jerks as portrayed in this film. The acting wasn't bad, pace was good, faster than SGU. Plus, I loved that some of the dialogue was in Spanish, it felt more authentic and made me love Rosa even more, she is proud of who she is, I didn't want her to ever change; thus my fave two characters has so got to be Rosa and David.
So I give this film 7.5/10.
Runtime: 92 minutes
Genre: Drama (SHOCK!)
Directed by: Ronald Daniels
Starring:
- Benjamin Walker
- Victor Rasuk
- Brian J. Smith
- Greg Serano
- Teresa Yenque
- Cheyenne Serano
- Micaela Nevarez
- Peter Gallagher
David, George, and Greg, best friends since high school, are “The War Boys”. They used to perch on the US-Mexican border, waiting to spot illegal immigrants who were trying to run into the United States. Sometimes, without a thought for the immigrants, the boys chased them across the wasteland and back across the border – just for fun. It was just one of those games boys played to make themselves feel big. But high school’s over now. David is unexpectedly home from his freshman year of college and the War Boys have been reunited. Now the boys come up with a new plan – they steal a truck from David’s father trucking company, filled with what they believe to be black market televisions. Their plan to sell them, make a quick buck and move to New York is complicated, however, when the contents of the truck prove to be much more sinister than the boys had thought. Meanwhile new feelings and relationships are forming between them, their friends, and their families. The young vigilantes finally come to realize that they are as vulnerable and as helpless as the immigrants they once chased across the border.
My review:
I saw the previews after OM1 shown me them a while back and he certainly peaked my interest so, 2 hrs ago I got this film and checked it out. Verdict: It was very good. I know, how could I... well not for the reasons one might think. Sure there was some boy on boy action that was pretty sexy and would have liked to see more of, but the reason why I enjoyed this film was to be honest, the lads and the fantastic Rosa (played by Micaela Nevarez) and storyline - David (Benjamin Walker) who has had feelings for George (Brian J. Smith), Greg (Victor Rusak) has a crush on Rosa, David's dad runs a black market business helping illegals gain entry into the United States and two sexy Mexican male twins (which we only see towards the end of the film sprawled half-naked dead).
This film is based on the premise that some are not comfortable with illegals entering the United States and that was what made this film fascinating. We have this character Greg of Mexican descent not knowing where he truly belongs or who he is, hangs out with David and George as social crutch terrorising illegals, does not dare speak a word of Spanish to other legal Mexicans in fear he will be looked down upon by others in the town, and yet I felt his friends would still accept him regardless. It wasn't until Rosa shows and slowly breaks him down and smooth the rough edges that made him have balls in the end.
The phrase, "boys will be boys" seems to come to mind, one camp you got the "War Boys" doing stupid shit like stealing a truck owned by David's father (which we find is actually filled with hash and illegal immigrants) and on the other camp, we got David and George who apparently fooled around when they were younger, (experimented if you will) and immediately David was my favourite character. So endearing so misunderstood, bored with the high expectations from his dad and he just wants to live. Of course it helps if he knew what da heck he wants out of life and that's where George comes in. George is a carefree kinda lad that only wants fun, get drunk and what not.
So I could understand why David's father didn't approve of George as David's lover, he didn't care that his son is gay, but it was the final showdown that highlighted how much of a man David was and how much the War Boys have grown since the start of the film; when they go to the truck (with Rosa) that they stole and parked in the desert for days, opened it up to find the hash and dead bodies; and as mentioned, the sexy twins, sprawled there half naked). And it donned on them, they had killed these people and the three shocked and unsure what to do next. Terrorising illegals was one thing, for fun; but now, they were responsible for all these deaths, it was heartbreaking for these are merely kids.
I was impressed with the character Greg, in that he stood up and realised afterall he is Mexican and these dead Mexicans were people too like him, they had lives, they had names and he wanted to give each one a burial, until David's dad shows up and started to point a gun at their heads telling them to leave the area. The epic bit was when the US Border Patrol shot David when he got the one over his dad and was pointing the gun at him. George cradling him as he lay there was beautiful, George yelling at the overhead helicopter, "We need help down here!"
With which the camera fades to white.
The opening and closing credits is done in the style similarly found on "The Walking Dead", so very scenic, music composition was beautiful. All in all, I enjoyed it. Seeing the characters David and George play with one another was cute, the touching, the looking, the kissing - very nice. It's not a must-see film I must admit, it's one of those if you got time, check it out. I just seriously hope that in RL, US Border Patrol aren't total jerks as portrayed in this film. The acting wasn't bad, pace was good, faster than SGU. Plus, I loved that some of the dialogue was in Spanish, it felt more authentic and made me love Rosa even more, she is proud of who she is, I didn't want her to ever change; thus my fave two characters has so got to be Rosa and David.
So I give this film 7.5/10.
I thought it was shot quite beautifully and it's subtle and sweet but that's just me.
