Andrés Montiel, Carlos Bardem, Daniel Gimenez Cacho

A teenager living inside an isolated residential "Zone" guarded by private security finds himself protecting a boy accused of murder from his vigilante father and neighbors. Nevertheless, the boy is c...( read more  read more... )aught and lynched. In the end, the teenager leaves the safety of the Zone to ensure the boy is properly buried, only to discover the devastating poverty that lies just beyond his walls, and vows to never return to the Zone.

Flixster Users

74% liked it

936 ratings

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Rodrigo Plá

Release Date: November 9, 2007

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 12, 2009

Stats: 280 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Photos


None yet... Got one?

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (280)


  • March 31, 2008
    It's a little bit unrealistic and kind of stiff at some points but the plot was unrealistic enough to warn the audiences this wasn't a very serious movie with a very strong critic towards something.

    But even if this isn't the masterpiece some of us expected, it's still a wonderf...( read more)ul, exciting and extremely entertaining thriller with amazing cinematography (what can we expect from a mexican movie if it isn't beautiful cinematography?) and a fast-paced screenplay, along with a poweful ending.

    It's nice to see a mexican movie that doesn't deal with crime and poverty in the same way most of the 90s mexican movies did. Instead of dividing the movie between "rich" and "poor" (because the characters do that themselves), the director divides everything between "right" and "wrong" and works with ethics and morality providing us with flawed characters that, when scared, are unable to control their instincts and lose their humanity.

    The movie tells the story of three thieves that enter a prestigious "forbidden city" where the rich and privileged live surrounded by a wall (The Zone) and, when attempting to mug her, kill an old lady, starting a manhunt where two of them die. The remaining kid (Alan Chavez, in one of two extraordinary performances this year, double-nominated for an Ariel) hides in a boy's basement, where he develops a small relationship with him by realizing they're not different from each other. Unfortunately, the "Board" of neighbors will do ANYTHING to chase down the remaining boy and "make justice".

    The best of the entire movie is definitely the ensamble cast that includes the elite of "good actors" in mexican cinema instead of just an "all star" cast of "hotties". From Daniel Gimenez Cacho (one of the best mexican actors ever) to classic old foxes like Blanca Guerra and newcomers like Daniel Tovar, Alan Chavez and Marina de Tavira, including underrated actors like Andres Montiel, Mario Zaragoza and Enrique Arreola, the cast is strong enough to portray a "mini-government", sort of Big-Brother-ish, that won't stop until "their security is total". The metaphor towards the ultimate "Zone" (USA) is subtle but acid.

    Don't miss this for anything in the world. A little bit over-exaggerated but exciting enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.
  • March 24, 2008
    This film was an excellent selection playing at this year's San Diego Latino Film Festival. I doubt if it will receive any sort of promotion or theatrical release in America, but it should.

    This is the story of a blocked-off community in the heart of Mexico City. The gated neig...( read more)hborhood is called La Zona and it is a sole entity in the eyes of the city. The residents of this zone have made a pact with the city to be left alone and live in peace. They abide by their own rules and have their own committee which mimics a sort of small-scale government.

    However, one night--a breach in security allows for three outsiders to intrude the zone and a manhunt is soon in place to find the men who pose a threat to the safety and security of their idealistic village.

    The film is magnificent in its message and social commentary. The performances of every member of the cast were brilliant and brought such gravitas to a project that had potential based on its story; but really needed good actors to carry it through.

    The film relies on world-events to make its point loud and clear. It evokes a plethora of emotions in the audience and makes for a really entertaining time--plus it brings a refreshing look at the way we see one another in the world--whether its people living across the street or across an ocean.
  • November 1, 2009
    Es cruel, y además dicen demasiado "vamonos a la chingada"! WTF?! Hace conciencia de lo irracional que pueden llegar a ser los seres humanos cuando tienen miedo o se sienten con mucho poder.
  • October 29, 2009
    Real great drama situated in Mexico showing the huge difference between the very poor and the very rich. How terrible it is to see that a poor child is blamed for a murder it didn't commit, but since it is poor there is not even a consideration that it could be misjudged. Only on...( read more)e (rich) person knows the truth...
    A must see!
  • September 18, 2009
    recommended by mistershinobi.
  • August 30, 2009
    Fucking strange and not even good
  • May 28, 2009
    Ce film aurait dû sortir au cinema plutôt qu'en DVD directement. Il est vraiment super mais sa conclusion est tellement frustrante, pas dans le sens où elle laisse le spectateur sur sa faim mais parce qu'elle est très réaliste et pessimiste. Je vais pas en dire trop mais ce film ...( read more)nous montre tel que nous sommes lorsqu'on est confronté à un danger....et le constat n'est pas brillant !
  • January 6, 2009
    a spanish drama/thriller about three young guys who sneaks in to this very rich neighbourhood surrounded by walls and fences, they came there to steal and when they try to get out they can't and they become prisoners inside..
    when I read about this I thougt the story sounded int...( read more)eresting and I thought it would be awesome..and maybe I had too high expectations cause I didn't like it at all.. it was boring and had no cool scenes at all, exept for the last minutes which was very dramatic and brutal, but i don't think those minutes are worth watching the whole thing..
    La Zona movie poster Pictures, Images and Photos
  • December 27, 2008
    Un sujet qui fait froid dans le dos. Mais quelques passages sont un peu convenus et surtout la réalisation n'est pas vraiment à la hauteur, et le doublage est médiocre.
    Un film correct, mais le sujet méritait mieux.
  • October 17, 2008
    Una impresionante pelicula que nos muestra como la minoria es la mayoria, asi como la mayoria es la minoria; de lo morbosa y cobarde que puede ser la gente; de lo impulsiva, de lo introvertida; de lo acosante. Una critica inmensa no solo para el pueblo mexicano, sino mundial. Tot...( read more)almente recomendable, ademas de que compro absolutamente todas las actuaciones... todas.

Critic Reviews


Comments


Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Barrio
    Barrio (0%)

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings


Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for La Zona. Want to create one?

Video Clips


No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?