Desierto
| Desierto | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Jonás Cuarón |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Damian Garcia |
| Music by | Woodkid |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | STX Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 94 minutes[1][2] |
| Country | Mexico |
| Languages |
|
| Budget | $3 million[3] |
| Box office | $4.2 million[4][5] |
Desierto is a 2015 Mexican thriller film co-written and directed by Jonás Cuarón.[6] It was produced by Cuarón together with his father Alfonso and his uncle Carlos. The film stars Gael García Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It was shown in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival,[7] where it won the Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for Special Presentations,[8] and was selected as the Mexican entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.[9][10]
Plot
What begins as a hopeful journey by Mexican migrant workers looking to seek a better life by crossing the US border illegally, quickly becomes a fight for survival, when the unarmed men and women are chased across the desert terrain by Sam, a merciless rifle-toting vigilante.[11]
Cast
- Gael García Bernal as Moises
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Sam
- Alondra Hidalgo as Adela
- Diego Cataño as Mechas
- Marco Pérez as Lobo
- Oscar Flores as Ramiro
- David Lorenzo as Ulises
- Butch McCain as Radio Talker
Release
In December 2015, STX Entertainment announced that it would release the film in North American theaters the following March.[12] The film was released in France and Mexico in April 2016 and had grossed $2.8 million as of 15 May 2016.[13] The North America release was delayed until 14 October 2016.[14]
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 58%, based on 66 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's consensus reads "Desierto's thought-provoking themes and refreshing perspective are unfortunately offset by a predictable plot and thinly written characters."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 51 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]
Dave Robinson of outlet Crash Landed reviewed the home entertainment release of Desierto awarding it 3 stars, taking note of its technical acumen in providing a thriller, but its "ill-defined script accomplishing nothing beyond passive entertainment" and of special note its complete lack of special features.[17]
See also
- List of submissions to the 89th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Mexican submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
- ^ "Desierto (2016)". Box Office Mojo. (Amazon.com). Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ^ "AMC Theatres: Desierto". AMC Theatres. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ "Jonas Cuaron's 'Desierto' Dazzles Morelia". Variety.com. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
- ^ "Desierto (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
- ^ "Desierto". The Numbers. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ Pacheco, Arturo. "Goya y Oscar - AMACC". Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ "Toronto to open with 'Demolition'; world premieres for 'Trumbo', 'The Program'". ScreenDaily. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ "Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2015 Award Winners" (PDF) (Press release). TIFF. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ ""Desierto" de Jonás Cuaron es elegida para representar a México en los Oscar". Quien. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ Hecht, John (14 September 2016). "Oscars: Mexico Selects 'Desierto' for Foreign-Language Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ Justin Chang, "Toronto Film Review: ‘Desierto’," Variety, September 17, 2015.
- ^ Patrick Hipes, "‘Desierto’ Trailer: Jonás Cuarón's Thriller Take On The Migrant Experience," Deadline.com, 23 December 2015.
- ^ "Desierto (2016) - International Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo". Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Gael Garcia Bernal's Immigration Thriller 'Desierto' Gets October Release". Variety. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ^ "Desierto". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ "Desierto reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ Robinson, Dave (12 November 2016). "Desierto - Blu-ray/DVD Film Review". Crash Landed. Retrieved 15 November 2016.