Hell

This is a picture of Mexico's reality: drugs, violence, corruption and zero opportunities to people. Estrada is a no-fear director that shows what are happening in my country, he told about corruption in police corps, army, politicians inclusive with president Calderon y former's presidents, the church (catholic) has a important role in the film. Damian Alcazar is a warranty, Joaquin Cosio, Gomez Cruz, Maria Rojo, Salvador Sanchez all of them great actors that make a brilliant movie. The story is about Benny Garcia (Alcazar) a deported Mexican who found his town worst than ever, without job and no money he was introduced to mob group by his best friend Cochiloco (Cosio). Love and violence, loyalty and human feelings is mixed in this picture. Congratulations to Estrada for his courage to say the things like are in a country like Mexico.

"El Infierno" is a satirical approach to the actual social situation of Mexico. This movie was released few days before of The Bicentennial Independence Day celebration. That fact gives a plus to this movie because it shows in a "funny" way how brutal the reality in this country is. Director Estrada wants to show that there is nothing to celebrate in a Nobody's land, where the law is made for those to have the money to corrupt a whole system. "El Infierno" shows not only a harsh present, but also a hopeless future.

The main topic of this movie is, of course, drug-trafficking; but, in this case, is only a pretext to show that drug-trafficking is not the problem itself, because it is only the consequence of a very long "tradition" of arrangements between mafia and government. The most characters in this movie were very well performed. I said the most characters, because Maria Rojo's performance was not so good as the other actors. This movie is easy to see and although it contains brutal violence it will be never so brutal as the headlines at the daily news.

As a Mexican who lives in México I have to say that it is very different to read the stories about crime, death, drugs, etc. in the newspapers than watching this film that put names and faces to the people involved in this kind of lifestyle. Some of the reviewers are very offended with the stereotypes in this movie, but it is undeniable that this movie portrays just one piece of reality about a part of our society. The offensive part should be that the rest of us live our lives normally without thinking about these things. It seems that many of us live in a different country, so far from this hell, and this movie is a great remainder of the problems we have as a country. I think that many of us are indifferent to these problems; we do not even imagine that this "war" affects all of us. I have read some reviews in which the way of telling the story is questioned and criticised. Many people think that the comedy is unnecessary, that it is a safe and easy way to say this kind of things, but I wonder if people are ready to pay to watch a film that does not involve comedy or any kind of humorous situation... sad but true, our TV and cinema culture is pathetic. Good for Luis Estrada, not everything is tequila, mariachi loco, spring break and telenovelas in México.

I just got back from watching this movie, and I feel like a just got a beating, unfortunately, it's a beating of reality, and it's not pretty.

First of all, it's a raw human drama that grabs you right from the beginning and doesn't even let you breath right until the end. It pretty much portraits the dark side of the human soul: violence, corruption, greed, murder, revenge etc. everything under the sad reality of the narcos and drug trafficking in Mexico. It's interesting that you see this from the point of view of the narcos. And it even has the virtue of using some dark humor that doesn't make the viewing more comfortable.

Script, production, cinematography and acting are wonderful, especially Joaquin Cosio, absolutely brilliant (no wonder why he was picked as one of Bond's villains in Quantum of solace). I found valuable the fact that it is a hard criticism to the government, the authorities, the police, the justice system, and not just the actual ones, but the ones we've had in the past 80 years, and that, in a way, it's a slap in the face to the celebration of the 200 years of independence.

That said, it has to be understood that it reflects only a part of Mexico's reality, though it's a brutal one. Just like after watching City of God you can't assume that Brazil's whole reality are the favelas, the same way it'd be wrong to assume that Mexico is just narcos killing each other.

Powerful and brutal, not an easy watch, but, in my opinion a must see for any movie fan.

This makes movies like Scarface look second rate. It's well made and high quality. The subject matter is impressively dealt with, though there are no surprises for those that know the subject.

The characters have real warmth, even though the events are presented in cold, brutal fashion.

Most movies about the drug wars have a small Latino element. They assume the person watching has never heard of Mexico, they have clichéd characters and information overload so the movie-goer is 'educated'.

The story packs in quite a lot, but in a relaxed style.

It's probably one of the most believable gangster movies ever made. The characters are well developed. They never apologise for what they're doing, but they're aware of what they're doing.

Worth watching before if you're about to snort cocaine. Just to see where your money goes.