MISS BALA Review — Gina Rodriguez Goes Balistic
Miss Bala Review — a gritty journey from high heels and tiaras to automatic weapons and drug lords.
Quick: What does the title “Miss Bala” bring to mind?
If your answer is head scratch, you’re not alone. To clue you in, “bala” is the Spanish word for “bullet,” and once you understand that, and realize that this film involves a beauty pageant, Miss Bala (Miss Bullet) sounds pretty clever. But I don’t expect many viewers to take a shot at figuring that out, unfortunately rendering the film DOA.
And that’s really a shame, because Miss Bala is actually kind of fun, if you’re in the mood for a gritty drug running film with a little glam thrown in for good measure. It’s a bit like The Mule for Millennials.
Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin) is sensational as an L.A. makeup artist who goes down to Tijuana to help her best friend compete in the Miss Baja California pageant, and inadvertently gets involved with a deadly drug cartel that also dabbles in sex trafficking. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
Catherine Hardwick (Lords of Dogtown, Twilight) directs this US version of the Mexican original. She keeps suspense high and shows the softer side of some despicable baddies, which adds to the intrigue.
But when all is said and done, the whole thing feels like a lead-up to the one arresting image: Rodriguez stalking purposefully through gunfire and explosions in stilettos and a low cut, high slit, red satin evening gown, expertly wielding an automatic weapon.
That may be pay-off enough for some—it was for me—but not everyone is so easily entertained.
And lest you think it might be decent female empowerment movie for your young teens because it’s rated PG-13, think again. Extreme violence and complicated sex trafficking issues are probably more than you want your under-15-year-old exposed to at this point in life.
1 Hour 44 Minutes
Rated PG-13
If this Miss Bala review inspires you to see it, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.
Miss Bala Review — a gritty journey from high heels and tiaras to automatic weapons and drug lords.
