Gringo is Nash Edgerton’s latest release after his 2008 drama/thriller film The Square. Gringo is another exhilarating crime drama full of twists and turns and cynical humor. There are a kidnapping, a ransom and a whole load of crime.
Nash’s brother, Joel, stars as Richard Rusk – a dubious pharmaceutical executive who takes a wrong turn and ends up running a secret drug factory selling weed pills. When the cartel gets involved, things become pretty sinister, pretty quickly.
The aesthetics of the movie are attractively colorful and there is a lively feel as the feature progresses. At the same time, the movie is being compared to a sub-Tarantino by critics given its tendency towards violence. The stunts, as expected given Edgerton’s background, are fantastic. Graphic, bloody shots seem to come out of nowhere in surprisingly realistic action scenes.
The characters played by Joel Edgerton and Charlize Theron are many things, but mostly they are detestable. They are selfish, crooked and have only their own interests at heart. Luckily, their likability as actors makes their sleazy performances somewhat enjoyable to watch. There is a dark humor to the film that is exhibited in a wacky and outlandish way. And it sort of works.
