Miss Bala
Dir: Gerardo Naranjo
2011
****
Miss Bala is quite a misleading film due to how it was publicised. It's not better or worse than I expected though but it is more brutal and shocking than I'd anticipated. It's pretty provocative but it needs to be in order to tell the story. Its real strength is when it puts the viewer in the position of our protagonist, it reminded me of Samuel Maoz's film Lebanon in some scenes, the tension and anticipation levels are high, making it a very entertaining thriller. It always stays true to form though, never once sugar-coating the situation in gang-law territory, even the relatively happy ending will leave you feeling uneasy. A great film, it's just a shame they've done a poor job of publicising it.