With so much going on in the world it comes as no surprise there are so many films coming along dealing with race relations and everything else. The latest taking on the border in a unique way is The Wall of Mexico starring Esai Morales, Mariel Hemingway, Jackson Rathbone, Alex Meneses, Carmela Zumbado, Marisol Sacramento, Xander Berkeley, and Moises Arias. Does this film bring anything new to the argument of the border or will it be something else all-together?

 

The Wall of Mexico follows Don, a young handyman, who is hired by the Aristas, a wealthy Mexican-American family with two outrageously decadent daughters. The source of the Aristas' wealth is a mystery to Don. Living in nearby Winfield, he soon learns tensions are high between the Aristas and the poor white townspeople, and that this has something to do with the Aristas’ well, which Don is asked to guard at night. People are superstitious about the well. Don learns the Aristas are selling wellwater at alarming prices. Don becomes infatuated with the younger daughter, Tania. As the water level drops, possibly from theft, the situation comes to a boil, and the Aristas decide to build a massive wall.

 

The title is a bit misleading as its not dealing with the border itself, but instead the border of a specific property in Mexico. This doesn’t change the content as it still deals with social classes and rights in an interested and often times strange way. Despite its intriguing way to deal with everything it is still hard to get fully invested at times because of its strange direction of telling the story. Most of the characters aren’t overly likeable and the overall journey feels like it doesn’t really go anywhere.

 

There is a cool aspect to the bigger picture, but gets bogged down at times by the attempt of love story of sorts focusing on the sisters and the handyman. This offers some of the more visually stunning moments, but goes in circles in an almost maddening direction that ultimately goes nowhere. The best parts of the film are Morales and the bigger story which we sadly don’t every really get a resolution to or even an explanation for the matter. I found the film entertaining and a feast for the senses while also creatively dealing with some topical issues, but it drags along in some parts and gets lost in its own confusion at times.

 

Decide for yourself and check out The Wall of Mexico in theaters and on demand now from Dark Star Pictures.