poe426 When his little brother Juan is captured by "rebel forces" in Iraq, drug cartel kingpin Don Julian Perez (Miguel Rodarte) puts together a team of cinco locos to go and rescue him. Why take such a risk? Because Mama Perez will never forgive Julian if he doesn't do it. When an assistant tries to show him where Iraq IS on a map, he snaps: "Forget the history lesson, let's get down to business." Sounds more than a little like the behind-the-scenes discussion(s) that preceded the U.$. invasion of Iraq, don't it? He is presented with a list of possible hombres to recruit for the mission, but draws the line at "the cannibal." (Unlike U.$. politicos, Don Perez has SOME scruples...) SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ is as slick as anything produced in Hollywood (or anywhere else, for that matter), with some truly stunning cinematography. The performances all around are on the money and the direction is surprisingly good (because I've never heard of this director before- though, hopefully, we'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from him in the future). Two of my favorite scenes involve Don Perez diving through the air, once skimming along horizontally while firing at his attackers in a way that would make John Woo blush and, later, leaping from the rooftop of one bombed-out building to another during a BLACKHAWK DOWN-type of rescue; very kung fu movie/Robert Rodriguez-ish. Carmelo's reference to Sasha the Russian as "Chacha" throughout was another nice little touch. Beto Gomez is a director to watch.

hamletquiron I guess this is the best movie I've watched far away about the middle east war. Isn't just funny and maintain you in the screen all the time, but also is a very interesting parody of the American heroes movies, specially because there aren't as bad movies as war American movies where everything goes alright and the soldiers save the world -well everybody knows the epilogue of those movies-, so this parody do the exercise of expose the ridiculous American war movies taking an amazing topic: a main leader of the Mexican north narco mafia in the search - with some "bullies"- of his brother in the main center of the conflict in Irak. This "narcocomand" goes to war to release an American soldiers hostages that even the American troops can release so is really hilarious the way that the movie goes developing across the history to reach a good level of sarcasm and irony of those absurd and boring American war movies. An 8 because of course is not The Godfather, but this director should keep doing this kind of works and not be afraid of expose the typical stupid Hollywood movies. It worth it.

waheim Before "Saving Private Perez" started, six indistinguishable action film previews reminded me of the repetition that comes with American action films, threaded with a slim MacGuffins. There were also two comedy trailers that had weird premises, and an outlandish over-the-top trailer for "Anonymous," a scary Tim Burtonesqe intensity/darkness and whopping Foley. Happily "Saving Private Perez" is over-the-top and outlandish,but in a snarky, straight-forward, perhaps satirical, literal way. If this seems contradictory, it is because this film is having it all ways. And that is its pleasure. It is not a mockery, but a tongue in cheek presentation of a Mexican drug lord's quest to save his USA Marine brother held hostage in Iraq (which is somewhere near Saudia Arabia and Holland). His estranged mother had asked drug lord to bring the brother home (alive). Occasionally funny, the film follows this quest seriously.The drug lord recruits a "Dirty Cinco" and they fly to Turkey and camel into Iraq. Much exaggerated, nothing is driven into the ground (but who can really exaggerate the American action film or one of our recent comedies?). Its exciting moments are balanced with laughs. "Saving Private Perez"'s ancestor is Phillipe DeBroccca's "That Man from Rio," which spoofed the Connery/Bond series, using exotic locations and validating French traits including stubbornness. "Perez" validates the Mexican character and travels as far.Production values (2.35:1 aspect ratio)are unexpectedly good. Camera work includes appropriate long shots and scenes are staged for widescreen without excessive closeups. It's not a smooth film, but neither is "That Man From Rio"--you have to allow both their quirkiness and rough edges(cuts).One pleasure of "Private Perez" is the sense of place, whether LA, a hacienda, rural Mexico, Istanbul or an Arabian desert. You enjoy the space which propels the action. Similar to Brazilia in "That Man from Rio" it intrigues without being a travelogueI haven't seen a desert like this since "Lawrence of Arabia." It is beautiful desolation. At one point, the "heroes," climb out of an oil pipeline, cover themselves in desert dust and remind me of the mole men in "Superman Meets the Molemen." The film offers other references."Saving Private Perez" is an interlude from the dispirited manufactured films that clog our previews. With nonchalance, a joke ever so often, an action sequence here and there, it refreshes us.

jorgeelfettleia I saw this movie after his third week at first place in the Mexico's box office, even over all Hollywood releases. Let's not waste more time to say it: "Salvando al soldado Pérez" is a great comedy, spectacular, kitsch, strange, funny, a very different movie that the ones we are used to saw from Mexican cinema. I mean, it happens in Irak!!!! They go to Turkey, the have an adventure, there's no sign of the same loser-goes-loser cliché of so many Mexican movies, no, in "Salvando al soldado Pérez" we mexicans are heroes, are compadres and are very funny adventurers. I had a great time in the theater. I only have one doubt: where the hell is Irak? I love the answer to this that the main character gives to one of his friends in a scene of the movie, jajajajajajajaja