Damsel in distress takes back control
Miss Bala is a crime thriller that follows the story of Los Angeles make-up artist Gloria Fuentes, a Mexican-American born in Tijuana who moved to the United States when she was young.
Gloria returns to Tijuana to help her childhood friend Suzu with the Miss Baja beauty contest. Trouble begins at a nightclub where Gloria accompanies Suzu to network with the contest organizer, Chief Saucedo. Las Estrellas, a cartel under the drug lord Lino, starts a shootout at the club, and Gloria loses Suzu in the mayhem.
While looking for her friend, she falls into the arms of the cartel, the DEA, and even the CIA, a world she is unfamiliar with but has to survive to get her friend back.
The plot of Miss Bala delves into the complicated representation of women’s disempowerment in the face of manipulations by men around them, including law enforcers and criminals alike. The unpredictable script makes it thrilling through its gripping plot twists and shootout scenes.
Given that Gloria is a woman unfamiliar with both the people and the drugs world, the script does an impeccable job of keeping her humanity through a fantastic depiction of fear and dread in her quest for survival.
The movie has a fantastic cast, which are all predominantly Latino. Gloria is a nobody in a world she does not understand, and the actor depicts her complicated emotions with perfect temperament. Gloria is resourceful and quick-thinking, finding a way to get out of impossible situations quickly. She is brave and determined. Although she starts as timid, innocent and helpless, she gradually transforms into a brutal survivor, not hesitating to pull the trigger to get her friend to safety.
Lino is a charismatic cartel leader who is also cruel and manipulative. He is sleazy in getting Gloria to believe him and do his bidding, which Gloria almost falls for. Lino’s arch-enemy is the chief of police, Saucedo. He is corrupt and immoral but has convinced everyone he is a good person, including sponsoring the Miss Baja beauty contest.
Other characters include the DEA agent Brian. He acts cool and calm but is vengeful and selfish. He manipulates Gloria into thinking he is on her side but only cares about eliminating Lino. Suzu, Gloria’s friend, is innocent and clueless. Her friendship with Gloria is fulfilling, illustrating Gloria’s determination to save her.
Her brother Chava is a welcome relief to the complex storyline since he is pleasing and adorable, while Pollo, Lino’s right-hand man, is loyal, ruthless, and dislikes Gloria.
The action scenes in the series are thrilling, which are certainly one of its strong points. The depiction of an empowering story of a young woman rising above her perilous situation when she is repeatedly abducted and threatened, becoming a pawn of the system is flawless.
However, there are some obvious plot holes, such as the script falling short of the description of the villains and the reason for the war between the cartel and the corrupt police. The movie could have turned out much better if the script covered all the bases instead of presenting action-packed scenes, with the viewer not in the loop as to why they are there.
Regardless, it keeps you invested in Gloria’s struggle to survive, making it worth recommending as an addition to your watch list.
Read More: Miss Bala (2019) Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7.5/10
7.5/10