Get the Gringo (2012)
Strong themes, violence and drug use
| Director: | Adrian Grunberg |
| Actors: | Mel Gibson, Peter Stormare, Dean Norris, Bob Gunton, Kevin Hernandez |
Crashing across the Mexican border in a getaway car containing millions, career criminal ‘Driver’ (Mel Gibson) is soon arrested by corrupt law enforcement officers. Separated from his swag and illegally incarcerated in the notorious El Pueblito prison, Driver has a plan to regain his freedom and the loot, if he can survive jail for long enough....
| Status: | HighDemand |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 95mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
| Run Time: | 95mins |
|---|---|
| File Size (Approx): | 0.9 GB |
Gibson in prison
by Richard Haridy, 9/10/2012 12:59:00 PM
Any new Mel Gibson film these days comes loaded with the baggage of his widely publicised personal turmoil. The man is undoubtedly an unhinged mess of homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic proportions but we often forget that he is also an amazingly captivating screen presence. Those who miss the days of Gibson's hardened movie characters will be in for a treat with Get the Gringo, a genuinely gritty, hard-boiled action-noir tale. Opening with a kinetic car-chase featuring the best slow-motion shot of a clown spitting blood you'll ever likely see, Get the Gringo catapults Gibson's nameless character into a bizarre Mexican prison named “El Pueblito.” It resembles a post-apocalyptic squat, and is filled with dodgy guards, 'smack shacks' (where inmates buy and consume drugs), and is presided o...
Any new Mel Gibson film these days comes loaded with the baggage of his widely publicised personal turmoil. The man is undoubtedly an unhinged mess of homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic proportions but we often forget that he is also an amazingly captivating screen presence. Those who miss the days of Gibson's hardened movie characters will be in for a treat with Get the Gringo, a genuinely gritty, hard-boiled action-noir tale.
Opening with a kinetic car-chase featuring the best slow-motion shot of a clown spitting blood you'll ever likely see, Get the Gringo catapults Gibson's nameless character into a bizarre Mexican prison named “El Pueblito.” It resembles a post-apocalyptic squat, and is filled with dodgy guards, 'smack shacks' (where inmates buy and consume drugs), and is presided over by a robe-wearing, stylish gangster. Amidst the chaos of this astoundingly designed space, Gibson befriends a 10-year-old boy (Kevin Hernandez) who complicates his inevitable escape scheme.
Sharply directed by debut filmmaker Adrian Grunberg and magnificently shot by up and coming star cinematographer Benoit Debie (best known for working on Gaspar Noe's visionary pictures) Get the Gringo is dirty, uncompromised fun for fans of grimy, grindhouse fare. Despite ultimately succumbing to a conventional final act that plays up the familiar redemptive anti-hero arc that Gibson seems fond of, for the most part this is easily the best thing our grizzled trouble-maker has done in well over a decade.
Originally titled How I Spent My Summer Vacation – a much more ironically apt title – what is most surprising about the film is that the insane prison featured is actually based on a real penitentiary located in Tijuana. It was shut down in 2002 after a couple thousand police officers raided what had become a bizarro shanty-town where prisoners lived with their families and guards were non-existent. Get the Gringo won't alter your perception of Mel Gibson the man but those that yearn for the tough, psychopathic Gibson hero of Lethal Weapon, Payback, and Mad Max will have a ball with this authentically nasty little pulpy, B-movie packed with blood, guts, guns, and blacker than coal humour.
4/5
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Member Reviews (20)
20 Member
Reviews
Lee
says
Heard good things about this at the movies, looked forward to seeing it and wasn't disappointed - good fun, a bit of an eye opener re Mexican prisons! A good 3.5 stars.
says
Interesting to note that Mel Gibson wrote it as well. A solid 3 stars
Kaz
says
This was a typical Mel Gibson movie. Full of action, drama and a little comedy.
I've marked it down cause I hate having to read sub-titles.
Johno
says
Not bad, It's like Lethal Weapon set in a jail.
Lisa
says
Great movie, Mel Gibson at his best. One of the better movies I have seen in ages
JC
says
Very Mel Gibson, good story line (almost), entertaining in that Mel Gibson way, touching on little known areas of life making it interesting and thought provoking. Understanding that these prisons are like small towns, I still can't see them handling transplant surgery and also having it on the night of the raid ... that dragged the film down, but it was necessary to have the boy's life in danger for the story line. Good ending.
says
likee
Peter
says
hehehe another Mel Gibson movie. Implausible as it looks but Mel makes the difference between a ho hum movie and rivetting entertainment.
RNEW
says
Mel Gibson continues to surprise...this movie was fabulous! Who would've thought! Loved it!
Hayesy
says
Well done Mel. I've heard about these prisons in Mexico and saw a doco. once. Very authentic. Great action.
kimbo
says
Great to see Mel Gibson in fine shape. He delivers a good performance and shows us that he still has what it takes. The other is the general feel of the movie. The camera work, the way we get to experience the prison and the persons in it. All in all, an hour and a half of good entertainment.
Shane
says
I thought it was OK, a bit different to the usuual plot. The mexican prision is probably really run just like the movie.
says
A bit over the top violent, but not too bad
Phil
says
If you forget the plot holes, the absurd shooting and that Gibson is never dying anyway and is smarter than anyone else... You remember Payback.. Well this movie is still keeping the viewer interested as long as you give your brain a break because if you think too much, you might not digest it at all so stupid it actually is!
Terry.
says
Another Mel Gibson romp. A little darker than his usual adventures. Hard and heavy tale of life in a Mexican jail. Interesting analogy to Mels Hollywood career.
Doris
says
A good movie with a good story line.Mel was excellent.Really enjoyed this one.
The Oracle.
says
Sensational return to form after the Beaver misfire. Witty dialogue, snappy action, and amusing characters. Highly recommended.
muse
says
Not as bad as I expected it to be. Mel does what he does best ... except they've allowed him to age - unlike the other action stars of his era who still want to play as though they're 20 something. Story seems originally enough with the usual clichés and implausibility’s you come to expect from films like this.
jtbug
says
Mad Mel's return to form is a good action film. That's if you can forgive Mel his past indiscretions and just enjoy the film and his performance for what it is.
Larry
says
Oh how the mighty have fallen! Mel tries to play basically the same character that he played in Payback, but it just doesn't come across as genuine, the humour falls flat and the whole thing becomes embarrassing. This is a second rate B Grade movie that takes place in a Mexican prison. The first half hour is passable, but it then becomes a complete mess of ridiculous characters doing ridiculous things. Probably the worst Mel Gibson movie ever made!