Hostile Border (2015)

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I located this film in a Redbox machine, and it was refreshing to view this thoughtful independent film."Hostile Border" may not be the best title for a film that barely touches on the topic of immigration. Rather, it is primarily a character study of a young woman apparently raised in the United States and deported to her native Mexico. For this reason, the original title "Pocha: Manifest Destiny" more accurately represents the spirit of the movie.The film begins with a definition of the word "pocha," which is a slang term for a Chicana who speaks fluent English but has a limited grasp of the Spanish language. The central character named Claudia is played by a dynamic young actress named Veronica Sixtos. She carries the film on her shoulders from start to finish.There is plenty of action, including scenes of violence, in this film, and it appears as though Claudia cannot avoid trouble at every turn of her life. After her deportation to Mexico and living with her father and grandmother on a cattle ranch, Claudia meets a nice young man named Arturo. But he has been playing a dangerous game with with a hustler named Ricky.After Arturo is killed by Ricky, Claudia gets linked up in the illegal business activities of Ricky, using her father's ranch to help in his shady transactions. She also begins a bizarre and clearly unhealthy personal relationship with Ricky. The relationship may be motivated by Claudia's instincts for survival. But there are moments when she clearly stands up to Ricky and defines some boundaries for her own dignity.There is a defining moment in the film when Claudia asserts to her father that she wants it all...and now! There is the sense that her upbringing in the United States has inculcated her into a twisted version of the American Dream.To put it mildly, Claudia does not learn from her mistakes, but doubles down on her ill-defined goals of wealth. Her surface-level goal is to return (illegally) to America and pay off her mother's home mortgage. But it is also clear that Claudia really does not have deep ties to her family. It was never clear why she was so antagonistic to her hard-working father and why she would not listen to the wise counsel of her kind grandmother.Viewers may be conflicted about the true nature of Claudia's character. But there is no doubt that the filmmakers created a thought-provoking profile of a young person filled with contradictions, yet great potential that is ultimately unrealized by the end of the film.

1 May 2016: I found this movie, "Hostile Border" by accident and since there aren't that many movies with an all Hispanic cast in America, I decided to watch it. The entire cast was good, but Mexican American lead actress, Veronica Sixtos and Colombian actor, Roberto Urbina are the best in the movie. Mexican American actor, Julio Cedillo is also good as the father. The actress playing the grandmother in the film was okay, but I was not that moved by her performance.I was also glad that there was Not any hard violence or rape scenes on women. I am tired of seeing women get beaten up or raped in movies and t.v shows. There is one scene where Ricky does a baseball bat swing with a shovel and kills grandma. There is one nice sex scene {where Claudia is topless} that is split in with other scenes, but the nudity is brief. I am a man and I do love seeing pretty women, but the audience does Not need to see a full blown love scene with lots of nudity to get the picture. Any love scene from the moment a man & woman start passionately kissing and going into the bedroom or taking off of clothes, that is enough for the audience to know what is going to happen next.There is one racial slur made by Robert Urbina's Ricky character about Mexicans and Claudia asks him if he is Mexican and makes a second unnecessary racist remark. Hum, there are so many Hispanics/Latinos in American and approximately 18-20 Latin countries {Not including Spain} such as the Latin countries that most people do not think of; Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Dominican Republic,and Honduras. Most focus on Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and Cuba.I was a bit surprised by the ending at the U.S-Mexican border. Claudia had finally won her chance to cross back into America with lots of cash, but she decides to stay in Mexico thereby breaking her promise that she made to return to her mother in the beginning of the film, which means she will never to see her mother again or not in the near future. On a scale of 1~10, I give this film an 8 and one thumb up.

This is a great film, It is excellent and you should definitely watch it. Through this movie I was very interested and at the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to come next. This movie contains live animals and this makes me gain lots of respect for the directors for being able to work with these animals. Also the writer shows lots of emotion through the intense scenes. There's are lots of surprises especially the flame thrower who kicks ass! Also the writer wrote the main character as a female which shows the writer as very brave to do this because in most films, especially films like this the main character is a man and the writer still used a female for the lead! Through the film the relationships between characters are both shocking and interesting!! that is why this film is unique! Therefore, this is a film that is worth watching!!

I have to say the adventurousness of this humanistic thriller lived up to the trailer and did not disappoint. A controversial subject matter to say the least! It' is certainly a different perspective for the movie goer to have to make so many decisions about how to feel about a main character. I find myself still shocked by some of the decisions and consequences experienced by Claudia, the main character. This film is both high action and socially and emotionally complex. The film is beautifully shot. These filmmakers did not cheat the audience of the opportunity to experience some breathtaking countryside. I will need to watch it again to see if my opinion of some of the intense situations and scenarios evolve. This movie is entertaining, thought provoking and dramatic! Definitely check it out.