LA ZONA
Mexico, 2007, 97 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Tovar, Maribel Verdu, Alan Chavez, Daniel Gimenez Cacho.
Directed by Rodrigo Pla.
La Zona works very well as a thriller but it also works well as an allegory of exclusive societies who live in fear, barricading themselves behind walls and wire and take the law into their own hands, lynch-law like, when they feel threatened or attacked.
The Zone is a wealthy enclave in the suburbs of a Mexican city, surrounded by slums and poverty. During a storm, some thieves from outside are able to climb into the Zone when a billboard collapses on part of the wall. The result is not only robbery but murder. One of the thieves, a 16 year old who supports his mother, hides out in the basement of one of the houses. In the meantime, the Zone authorities meet and take matters out of the hands of the police, concealing the truth of what happens so that officialdom will keep away and not disturb their priviliges.
A rich boy discovers the poor boy and a bond grows between them.
It would be nice to be able to say that all works out well but we know that this is not possible with this vindictive
community who display a most alarming blood-lust. The film is also pessimistic about integrity, even with principled police officers.
Drama is powerful. Performances are persuasive. Though we look at the situation through the eyes of a privileged boy, the point of view of the impoverished boy is also strong. The resolution is dramatically satisfying and gives hope for some decency. When the film ends at 97 minutes, we feel that it could have gone on longer and we would have been interested to see further developments in several of the characters. That is a compliment.
1.The impact of the film as drama? Thriller? Social comment? Particular to Mexico? Universal application?
2.The city locations? The affluence of the Zone, the houses and streets? The contrast with the poverty and houses and streets outside the Zone? The walls and the wire? The musical score?
3.The title, the implications of the Zone for those within it? The enclave of the rich? Keeping out the poor? Self-administration? Wanting the police away? A world of privilege, wanting to preserve privilege? Cover-ups and taking the law into their own hands to preserve privilege?
4.The initial production of the Zone, audience response to the affluence, the calm? To the wall and the wire? To the people outside?
5.The young people in the bus, the young man and woman? The thieves? The guards? The storm, the billboard, its falling on the wall, the group able to climb over? Into the Zone, into the house, the attempted robbery, Mercedes and her trying to stop the robbers? Miguel and his hitting her? The later revelation of what happened? The thief and his choking Mercedes to death? Taking the jewels? The pursuit, the thieves being shot? The doctor and his nervousness, shooting one of the guards?
6.Daylight, the family, mother and her concern, Alejandro and his birthday? With his father? Daniel and the other men and their concern about what had happened? Alejandro in the car, his father forgetting his birthday? The later gift? Daniel going to school, his friends and their talk, wealthy, the status of the school? Their concern about what happened in the Zone?
7.Alejandro, at home, discovering Miguel in the basement? His reaction, Miguel’s fear? His not hurting him? Giving him some warmth, bringing him food? The bond between the two? The way this continued throughout the film?
8.Daniel and the adults, their dealings with the police? The commandante and his integrity? His being pressurised and backing down? Allowing the Zone authorities to pursue their case?
9.The cover-up, the statement that the guard had committed suicide and was not murdered? The discussions with his widow? Promising her money? Her concern, her later knowledge of the truth, her relief that her husband had not killed himself?
10.The various personalities amongst the authorities? Their harshness, the law, their presumption of guilt? The woman in the group and her viciousness? Their meetings, discussions? The man opting out after protesting against their fascism? The doctor, his having killed the guard, his upset? Their silencing him? The later admission of the truth, his fears, his reassurance of the widow?
11.Miguel, his background, his mother’s concern? The authorities and their reaction to her? His getting out of the house, running, being pursued, his being beaten to death by lynch law? The vindictive and vicious killing?
12.Alejandro, his reaction? His parents? His driving to the cemetery, taking Miguel’s body, its being buried? His phone calls to let the mother know what had happened? The importance of the message of the film in the character of Alejandro, his response, a sense of decency?
13.The overall impact of the film, a portrait of a community, a corrupt and privileged society? The portrait of the decent young man and his attempts to do the right thing? An allegory for all such communities?
