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Each day, it seems like there’s some technological advance that takes us one step closer to living in a classic sci-fi movie. And writer/director Chris Le’s debut, Cartel 2045, takes viewers to a not-so-distant future where the toughest people have control of some of the deadliest technology.
Cartel 2045 follows a group of Marines on a secret mission in Juarez, Mexico, where drug kingpin Angel Malvado (Danny Trejo) is using weaponized robots as enforcers. Not satisfied with his current supply, he’s taken the robots’ creator, Estevan Flores (Chris Persky), captive and is forcing him to build a bigger, better weapon. Determined to find Flores and stop Malvado, the U.S. government sends a group of Marines on a search and rescue mission. And with the help of a human-like computer and a released prisoner with a special ability, they close in on their target.
The idea behind Cartel 2045 (also known as Juarez 2045) is definitely an intriguing one: a gritty sci-fi thriller with droids used by drug cartels on the streets of Mexico sounds like something that Neill Blomkamp would direct—and Danny Trejo’s role seems to promise that the film’s grit will be mixed with just the right amount of camp. But, unfortunately, it’s all so poorly made that it doesn’t even work as a late-night guilty pleasure.
Le’s debut seems determined to be a kind of grindhouse sci-fi tale, mixing weaponized robots with over-the-top action (right down to heads exploding in a red cloud). But in addition to cheap and cheesy, it would also need to have a certain charm to it in order to succeed.
It’s definitely cheap. Le’s budget clearly doesn’t match his vision—and while he seems to have some interesting ideas, they’re hampered by the kind of low-budget effects that will sometimes shock you into laughing out loud.
It’s certainly cheesy, too. The writing is cringe-worthy, with awkward dialogue and nonsensical scene after nonsensical scene. The acting is fittingly melodramatic and entirely overcooked. And the result feels more like a silly high school project than a professional release.
It’s clear that Le has some good ideas—and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do with them in the future. The mix of grit and tech in Cartel 2045 is definitely intriguing—and with a bigger budget and some writing help, it may have been more watchable. But this young filmmaker still has some work—and some learning—to do.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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