LINEWATCH

US, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Cuba Gooding Jr, Omari Hardwick, Sharon Leal, Evan Ross, Dean Norris.
Directed by Kevin Bray.

LInewatch is a routine thriller set on the Mexican- American border. Cuba Gooding Jr portrays a former LA gang member who is now a member of the police force on the border. The film opens with themes of illegal immigrants, vans full of dead men and women, an investigation. It also shows a group of rednecks acting on their own behalf in homeland security, prejudiced against the Mexicans. However, the film veers into a drug thriller as members of the LA gang put pressure on Cuba Gooding Jr to help them with a delivery on the Mexican border. This goes through – but with a few twists at the end which saves the day for Gooding and his wife and daughter.

The theme is topical, the treatment is of the straight-to-video thriller kind.

1. The popularity of this kind of thriller entertainment? Average material, average treatment?

2. The landscapes, the Mexican border, the mountains, the desert? The contrast with the town, homes, police precincts? Musical score?

3. The police watch on the Mexican border, against illegal immigrants, against drug dealers? Police, rednecks, homeland security?

4. The focus on the illegal immigrants, the police finding the van, the dead people? The investigations, the search for the responsible person? The police going to the depot, the policeman being shot? The pursuit of the criminal, investigating, getting the information?

5. Michael Dixon, his life, law and order, staying in the town, love for his wife, daughter? The arrival of Drake, his henchmen? The revelation about the past? The pressure on Michael Dixon, on his wife? Forcing Dixon to go with them, the drug delivery, the Mexicans and their ammunition? The exchange of the drugs? Dixon helping? The introduction of the homeland security men? The previous confrontation with the migrants, Dixon and his rough-arm tactics? The pursuit, the deaths, the redneck giving information?

6. The police, the checking on Dixon? Warren, his interest? Going to Dixon’s house?

7. The gang, tough, Dixon setting them up, going to their depot, the shootouts? His nephew, not killing him? The nephew saving Dixon, the police intervention?

8. The resolution of the crimes? Dixon and his heroism? Reunited with his wife?

9. A piece of Americana, popular entertainment, topical themes, American heroism?