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Parents' Guide to

Desierto

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Simplistic but gripping thriller has violence vs. migrants.

Movie R 2016 94 minutes
Desierto Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In DESIERTO, Mexican migrant worker Moises (Gael Garcia Bernal) makes the treacherous journey to America to join his family. When their truck breaks down, he and his fellow travelers must continue on foot, in record-breaking heat. Unfortunately, an American named Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) -- who sports a Confederate flag on his truck and has a huge rifle and a vicious dog -- feels he must take it upon himself to stop the "invasion." He easily picks off most of the migrants, but Moises and a young girl, Adela (Alondra Hidalgo), manage to evade their hunter until nightfall. But if they're to survive and escape the desert, they must make a plan.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

This minimalist thriller is not only expertly constructed and relentlessly gripping, but it's also very timely. That said, socially aware viewers may bemoan a lack of commentary in such a simple movie. Director/co-writer Jonas Cuaron -- son of Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron -- previously co-wrote the screenplay for Gravity along with his father. Here he takes the idea of survival in a vast, harsh environment to a different place.

Cuaron's sense of place and action are excellent, even if the occasional hand-held camera (understandable given the terrain) calls attention to itself. Shots race up and down dry riverbeds and stone outcroppings, through cactus patches and piles of rattlesnakes. The movie's editing and music are also superb, clicking together as a fine example of tense genre filmmaking. The issues of racism and immigration aren't dealt with at all, other than that the white characters are bad, and the Mexican characters are good. But perhaps Desierto's lack of message-mongering will allow viewers to come to their own conclusions.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Desierto's violence. How does the filmmaker achieve this? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • What, if anything, do you think the movie is trying to say about immigration? What other factors/issues are at play?

  • Do you know anyone who's gone through the immigration experience? What have they told you about it? Why do you think some immigrants risk their lives to come to the United States?

  • One character has the opportunity to act out of revenge, but he doesn't; he walks away instead. Why do you think he made that decision? Compassion? Basic human respect?

  • How does this compare to other "minimalist" movies you may have seen (i.e. only a few characters, one location, and take place over a fairly short amount of time)?

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