Herod's Law (1999)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

From my favorite movies..

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The best of the new wave of "Cine Mexicano". Forget about the edgy "Y Tu Mamà Tambièn" or the spectacular, impressive "Amores Perros"."La Ley de Herodes" is more than just a black comedy that spoofs Mexican government and specially judicial system. No, this movie is a clever, witty critic against the system and corrupt bureaucrats.I think that a well done critic needs to display REAL names and REAL events. "La Ley de Herodes" totally criticizes PRI (the politic party that ruled Mèxico for more than 70 years) and even gives away some true facts.Damiàn Alcazar is the soul of the movie. The man delivers a solid, fun, dramatic performance. He's a very complete actor and he totally carries on the weight of the movie. Armendariz and the great Casanova also deliver fine performances.This movie will make you laugh, cringe, but most of all, it will make you think about Mèxico's political situation. Trust me, I've seen the horrors and crap inside bureaucracy and this movie perfectly displays it in such a clever and fun way. The ending will make you realize that even that Mèxico's politicians are a joke, it's the sad, sad true.A must see!

All the elements are here: bureaucracy, corruption, hypocrisy, ignorance, ambivalence, revolt, arrogance, machismo, and many more combine to make this film so realistic and satirical that it is hilarious.It is always amazing how often patronage and the perception of power combine to corrupt. 'Herod's Law' really is Latin America at its core. The setting and the veracity of the portrait couldn't be better. As true today as it was in the 1940's, Latin American politics revolve on a wheel of indifference to the norm, of corruption and an incestuous political bureaucracy bred to deceive and obscure. Then you have the periodic explosive reactions to too much tolerance of so little honesty.Brilliant montage of all the right elements.

With the sardonic tone of a political cartoon, Luis Estrada skillfullypresents government the way you know it works: standing onscandal, bribes, brutality and general treachery. Herod's Law is setat ground zero of political corruption, Mexico's revolutionary party,PRI. Herod's Law is an excellent balance of farce and bite. LuisEstrada frames excellent performances from his cast. DamianAlcazar provides a superb performance as the hapless, dutifulmember of the PRI thrown into a leadership position and is slowlyinfected with power and all the neurosis and paranoia symptomatic of a whetted appetite. The story is excellent, thenarrative arc is well-crafted, and performances outstanding. It istrue, however, that the film fails to introduce anything novel.However these are all considered trademarks in the politicalcartoon business. The film deals solely with establishedarchetypes, it doesn't introduce new concepts or engage with anyunfamiliar issue. It does little beyond reinforcing stereotypes andconfirming preconceived notions. However, the art of the politicalcartoon is the playfulness with which the cartoonist employs thesearch characters. Herod's strength is the playfully exaggeratedtreatment of the subject. The posture is almost vaudevillesque inits rhythm. The tone perfectly describes the whirlwind madnessthat envelopes a man as he descends from idealist to practicingpolitician.For more foreign film news, reviews and interviews check outwww.au-cinema.com

I should say that this movie is one of the most boring I have ever seen. Sadly most of the mexican-weekend-cinema-goers this movie was better than anything. Luckily, the movie helped the mexican cinema, but not because of it's content, any movie from the 80´s (Valentín Trujillo for example) has much more content, cinematography idea, script, than this movie.If are in the mood for getting surprised or astonished, go and rent movies from the 80's or 70's, "La Ley de Herodes" besides making me feel bored, I also felt ashamed, sleepy and upset because of the money I paid for watching it.From 10, 5 points.