Search - Chicano Blood (Dub) on DVD

Too many mixed messages

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 10/18/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"KRS-One coined a term "edutainment," combining education and entertainment. I think this film had that goal, but it falls on its face in many ways. The film tries to install Mexican-American pride while being an action film. It's not done well.

First off, the militant characters praise their Aztec ancestors, but almost all of them are green-eyed. This film definitely places white-skinned Mexican Americans as more central than brown ones. On the one hand, a group of flannel-wearing, urban teens are portrayed as the group rightfully seeking revenge, but by the end of the film the Mexican-American lead, a Black guy, a white woman, and an older rural white guy are the protagonists of the actions. Does this film say Chicanos can succeed alone or only in a multi-culti group? The connection between the two crews is never semented either.

The main actor, Damian Chapa, has a deliciously hairy chest. But he's a little too pudgy for this action-oriented film. There's also a character with a deep, striking chin dimple.

A grenade is blown and all you see is a house with smoke in front of it. If you don't have the budget to blow up a house, why have it in the film? The main character fights a Russian and without words, they agree to put down their guns and just use their martial arts skills. You can already guess the enemy picks up his gun despite the never-presented gentlemen's agreement.

There are a lot of things that make life hard for Mexican Americans in Los Angeles, but I highly doubt Russian mafiosos are the cause. Remember when on "The Simpsons" McBain fought "the Commie-Nazis"? The point being such a group doesn't exist, so it's easy to villify them. Here too this film doesn't speak of the real employers or landlords that discriminate against Latinos in SoCal. It pulls up mafiosos for close to no reason.

I just can't imagine a wide audience being impressed with this sub-par work, despite its limited number of good intentions."