Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Brutal, profane crime thriller is also stylish and twisty.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Bad Hombres
What's the Story?
In BAD HOMBRES, Felix (Diego Tinoco) arrives in the United States from Ecuador hoping to earn some money for his family back home. On his very first day, he meets Donnie Boy (Luke Hemsworth), who hires Felix for a job on the condition that he has a truck. Felix finds Alfonso (Hemky Madera), a grizzled, foul-tempered old-timer -- who does have a truck -- and convinces him to take the job with him. They all drive out to the middle of nowhere, and Felix and Alfonso are asked to dig a large hole. A fourth man, "Horrible" Steve Hoskins (Paul Johansson), silently waits in the car. Before long it becomes clear that the hole is meant for dumping dead bodies. Even stranger, it turns out that Alfonso is some kind of warrior who realizes that the dead bodies are members of a dangerous crime organization. Felix gets shot in the leg, and they escape. While at a gas station, Felix discovers a stash of money under his seat cushion. But the night has even wilder events in store.
Is It Any Good?
This twisty, low-budget crime thriller feels like a less-funny, second-tier sampling of Quentin Tarantino or Elmore Leonard, but its brutal creativity and high style make it compelling. Here, as he did with his previous movie Muzzle, director John Stalberg Jr. shows a strong sense of style, choosing unusual camera angles and long takes, sometimes leaving what would seem to be crucial information offscreen. As a result, the story of Bad Hombres never quite goes the way you might think it will. There are many memorable moments, including Hemsworth's Donnie Boy chewing the scenery, babbling whatever nonsense happens to pop into his head, or a quiet moment in which a veterinary doctor, who just fixed Felix's leg, urges him to give our country a chance: "There are some good people too."
And there are beautiful matching opening and closing shots, with flashes of sunlight playing across Felix's face. Plus, Stalberg concentrates on the effects of sound, including the constant roar of barking dogs in the vet's office and a broken car radio stuck on a shouting preacher. To be sure, Bad Hombres isn't quite A-list material, and there are problems of logic and rhythm -- a character answering a phone that was broken a few minutes earlier, or Alfonso taking forever to drive back and forth between the vet and Rob's place, for example -- but overall this is a highly effective tale of redemption and kindness in an otherwise crime-ridden world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bad Hombres' violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Did you notice positive diverse representation in the movie? What about stereotypes?
Why do you think Alfonso goes to so much trouble to help Felix?
In what ways is Felix lucky and unlucky? Do you think "luck" is a real thing, or do we "make our own luck"?
What does the movie have to say about the immigrant experience in the United States? Are there positive things about it?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 26, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : January 26, 2024
- Cast : Diego Tinoco , Hemky Madera , Luke Hemsworth
- Director : John Stalberg Jr.
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Screen Media
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : January 24, 2024
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