Borderland

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Horrorphile - August 2009

Borderland

August 21st 2009 00:42

The annual American After Dark Horrorfest: 8 Films To Die For is generally a pretty dreadful line-up of movies that should be released straight-to-DVD (if at all!). The original conceit was “the content of these films are considered too graphic, too disturbing, and too shocking for general audiences.” Of course this was simply not true; producers had simply signed away their souls so that their movie can at least be seen on the big screen once or twice. The following year the trailer simply gave a so-called dictionary definition of the horror movie. As if we needed it.

There are usually one, possibly two movies in each programme worth the price of admission. The Abandoned from 2006, Frontier(s), which was actually deemed too extreme even for After Dark (?!?), and Borderland from 2007, and The Broken and Dying Breed from 2008. After Dark Horrorfest 4 is scheduled for January 2010.

Borderland Jake Muxworthy, Rider Strong, Brian Presley, Martha Higareda

Henry (Jake Muxworthy), Phil (Rider Strong), Ed (Brian Presley) and Valeria (Martha Higareda)

Borderland is written and directed by Zev Berman and loosely based on the true crimes of Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo, the leader of a satanic cult that practiced human sacrifice on a property near the border town of Matamoros. He and his followers were arrested following the kidnapping and murder of a Texas University student, Mark Kilroy in 1989. The remains of between twenty and thirty bodies were dug up on Constanzo’s ranch. They had all been dismembered and burnt, many of them missing their brains and spinal cords.

Damian Alcazar as Ulises

It is the basis on such grotesque and creepy real history that gives Borderland an added sense of menace and abject horror. The real practicing of black magic element provides an atmosphere and aura of palpable evil. Director Berman is a very competent director, but his screenplay is not dramatically potent enough to carry the movie through.

Santillan (Beto Cuevas) hovers over Phil

The movie’s horrific prologue which features two Mexican police falling foul of Gustavo (Marco Bacuzzi) working a truly dark mission sets up the movie’s gritty edge of realism and a texture of dirty, cold sweat. Then we meet our three intrepid gringos; cocky Henry (Jake Muxworthy), pretty boy Ed (Brian Presley), and naïve virgin Phil (Rider Strong). They’re looking for a tequila storm of the libido just south of the border before heading to college.

Santillan's lover Anna (Elizabeth Cervantes), sacrilegious she had such little screen time!

Ed meets sultry local senorita Valeria (Martha Higareda) and brings her into the picture. Henry tries to get Phil laid. The four of them chew back some ‘shrooms at the carnival and go tripping. Next morning Henry and Ed discover that Phil is missing. The local police are uncooperative, except for Ulises (Damián Alcázar), who survived the movie’s ghastly prologue. Henry wants to indulge in a little citizen’s vengeance, but it serves him badly, and Valeria’s best friend Lupe (Francesca Guillén) is paid a visit from Gustavo and Luis (Roberto Sosa), another cult member. This leaves Ed, Valeria and Ulises to confront the leader of the cult; Santillan (Beto Cuevas) and hopefully rescue Phil.

Gustavo (Marco Bacuzzi) gets down to steel hacks

There’s a lot going for Borderland; tight, atmospheric direction, detailed art direction and sunburnt cinematography, solid acting (well, most of it; Presley ain’t the sharpest knife) – Sean Astin, more familiar as a Hobbit, pops up in the convincing role of a fat, greasy brainwashed white trash cult member – and some impressive violence and special effects makeup. Essentially Borderland will be lumped into the “torture porn” box. One poster certainly pushes that button, whilst another poster design provokes reference to infamous “snuff” flick Last House on Dead-End Street (1977).

Sean Astin as Randall one of Santillan's gofers

It’s the movie’s second half where the dramatic intensity begins to fray, leading to a disappointing climactic showdown. Suddenly Ed’s become a hardened vigilante, Valeria, who barely knows him – and should know better than to get involved in such local no-go zones - is alongside him for the bloody ride, and Santillan’s henchmen are inexplicably incompetent. Hmmm, all too familiar.

The satanic cult comes a-knocking

Be warned Spring Breakers! If you plan to head to Matamoros for a little easy drinking (legal age is 16!) and maybe some illicit imbibing, be wary of bald amigos offering rides in dodgy-looking utes. Practitioners of the evil side of the occult have a sneaky way of perpetuating their rituals, long after the blood has dried on the red dirt, and the cauldron’s are rusty.

Here's the trailer:

NB: There’s an ill-paced bonus doco on the DVD which details the actual crime. The subject matter is fascinating and decidedly unnerving, but the cop being interviewed rambles on and seems like a blatant opportunist.

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

6 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Natalina

August 21st 2009 01:24

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

I bought this movie some time ago because I'm a sick freak and I was extremely excited by the plot and it's relationship to the true crimes in Mexico. However, as I've been burned by these AfterDark movies time and time again, I've held off on watching it. I think I'll pop it in now, at least knowing that it doesn't suck the big one.

I recall the very first time I saw that commercial you referenced for the After Dark Horrorfest. It was such an awesome commercial, and the images and the and sounds in the spot scared me. I was so excited to see these movies that were "Too shocking" for general audiences. M-er F-ers lied!

Comment by Bryn

August 21st 2009 02:49

Horrorphile

Natalina, yeah, I got some second degree scars from After Dark, damn 'em! But the ones that shine; Frontier(s) and The Broken, are fantastic. Have you seen those?
Have you thought of competing for Scream Queen?

Comment by Natalina

August 21st 2009 03:08

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Haven't seen either of those Bryn. Apparently I just pick the ones that suuuuck! I'll have to check them out.

However, I have considered entering the Scream Queen contest! That stuff cracked me up! I'm thinking of going with the name Countess Von Natalina of the Creepy Crawls...what do you think? I've got my riding crop and fishnets at the ready, now all I need is the desire to make a complete ass of myself, and I'm a shoe in!

Comment by Bryn

August 21st 2009 03:29

Horrorphile

Sounds positively frightening!

You'll love The Broken.
Frontier(s) is an under-rated French version of Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Comment by JohnDoe

August 26th 2009 22:45

Film & TV on DVD

I've been circling this one for a while...after your review im still not sure if I will cut the head of that chicken yet.

Comment by Bryn

August 27th 2009 00:28

Horrorphile

You could smell a lot worse ...

[ Previous - RUE MORGUE FESTIVAL OF FEAR - NATIONAL HORROR EXPO August 2009 ]

[ Next - EXCLUSIVE Q&A with LET THE RIGHT ONE IN director TOMAS ALFREDSON ]

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