THE HOLLOW POINT
US, 2016, 93 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Wilson, Ian Mc Shane, Lynn Collins, John Leguizamo, James Belushi.
Directed by Gonzalo Lopez- Gallego.
The Hollow Point is a very grim film, set on the Arizona- Mexico border, complications with cartels, arms smuggling across the border, young men doing the smuggling, stealing money, cartel assassins killing them. Cross
Ian Mc Shane portrays a veteran sheriff, a drinker, lacking scruple, seen initially confronting a young man who fights him, Mc Shane shooting him. Patrick Wilson plays Wallace, coming back to his hometown, as a replacement sheriff, disliked by everyone, meeting a former girlfriend, Lynn Collins, who had been in a relationship with one of the young men who had been killed.
The film shows the highway, the desert, the area in southern Arizona, across into Mexico, arid and dangerous.
The film offers a police investigation, some graphic violence when the hero’s hand is chopped off by a machete! This episode makes demands on audience credibility as he seems to manage and does not need the hospital treatment that was necessary. Nevertheless, he continues in his pursuit, almost killing a lookalike to the assassin in his vengeance.
James Belushi plays a car dealer in the town, joking but sinister, mixed up in the arms deals. John Leguizamo plays the assassin who comes into town and confronts Wallace.
This is not a straightforward police investigation – a touch of the arthouse treatment of the theme, also causing some difficulties for audiences to follow the plot.
1. The American- Mexican border? Life in the towns? Crime, arms deals, money? The cartels? Administration of the law?
2. The title, moral comment on the issues and characters, the focus on bullets and death?
3. The locations, the town, police precincts, apartments, dealerships, hospitals? The desert highways? Crosses and graves? The musical score?
4. Violence in the way of life? Guns, machetes, injuries and deaths, fights?
5. Leland, police, old, tough, confronting the young man in the car, taunting him, the fight, shooting him?
6. Wallace, his background, leaving the town, being sent back, his past relationship with Marla, her relationship with the man who had disappeared? Discussions about the past? The relationship?
7. Wallace and his return, meeting people, their dislike of him, calling him an asshole? Investigating, talking with Leland, getting his statement, warning him? Searching, the wounded man in the bath, talk, his death? His being pursued, in the hole with the bags of cement, the water, getting free? The fight with the pursuer, his hand being chopped off? Going to Leland’s house, the blood on the wall, his need for medical attention? Hospital, Marla, his arm being bound?
8. Diaz, the dealership, his place in the town, the story about his wife, finances? His doubledealing? The cartels? His fears, wanting the money to pay off his debts? Interactions with Leland, Leland suspecting the truth, at the desk, Diaz shooting him, the body armour, the evidence of the bullet? Wallace confronting him, his going with Marla, trying to find the money, dig it up?
9. Marla, her character, her fears, relationships? Lily, at the diner, customers? Later revelations about her, her contact with the cartel, the information, the attack, in hospital? Her religious language and trying to save people?
10. Wallace, following the lead, the man with his girlfriend, Wallace and his gun, menace, about to kill the man, his later regrets?
11. The glimpse of the stranger, police, the prison, the prisoners? His being the assassin, his coming for Lily? Threats and violence? The fight with Wallace? His death?
12. The list, the cartels, anonymous bosses, their influence, power, violence, money?
13. Wallace and Marla, driving away? The romantic touch? The beginning of the credits, the scene between Diaz and Leland, the shooting – giving a more violent, bitter touch to the ending?
14. A wild West, a wild border – and contemporary border issues?
