Cartel Land dives into the drug industry and manufacturing from perspectives of the land of Mexico & United States, along with the violence the cartels of Mexico uses to control its lands that spills over the border. It features a view of numerous sides of the fight to end the control and terror the cartel has embedded in Mexico. The cartel is a real force that seeks to dominate its land through fear. Dr. Jose Manuel Mireles, a medical surgeon, and victim of cartel violence was leader/founder of the revolutionist group the Autodefensas, with their primary initiative to combat cartel violence for the people, as the Mexican government is not up to face cartel themselves. Through his eyes, viewers can see the harsh reality the Mexican people deal with daily, and Miereles' struggles to maintain peace. Other accounts of encounters with cartels are noted by the locals. Tim "Nailer" Foley was the leader of the Arizona border Recon militia on the U.S-Mexico border. He gives his story on why he keeps on the fight against cartel activities on and perspectives from his journey is filmed.
I remember a particular scene from the documentary that stuck to me in memory where one of the locals, a woman, was giving her experience with the cartel. I am not a "sensitive" person by any means and can handle some graphic content, but what the woman described was heart-wrenching. She described a Cartel group ransacking their ranch and massacring all the people there in attempt to send some sort of message. It was how the subject of even small children being grabbed by their feet and smashed against rocks as she described that gave me an ill feeling that even a basic human should have remorse for human life. This account displays the relentlessness cartels possess. Its something someone sane does not want to hear.
What surprised me was, but yet should foreseeably expect was the Autodefenas turning federal with the government. The government is about as corrupt as the Autodefensas turned to be. Their way of handling criminals they captured stood out out me as dramatic and violent. It was almost torture like, as the screams of people in pain seem harsh but I tried to understand their standing and it not being the U.S.
Post viewing, I was instantly wondering about the original founder and main character of the documentary, Dr.Mieres that was labeled as a criminal by the gov't for speaking out against their corruption. I was wondering how his group turned with the gov't, against him that has connections with cartels too! I also instantly felt a little stunned and helpless that Dr. Mireles has been incarcerated and his innocence is being covered up. His story was impacting for what his mission was, just for it to be almost nothing in the end. As mentioned in the closing of the documentary, the cartels cannot be beaten. The government themselves are tied to them.
Research in our summaries can impact our interpretation of the film and give viewers an edge of what to think compared to watching a film for feeling.
Great post, Anthony! It's a tough film, and you manage to share that fact but also give a reasonable overview that doesn't spill into the same kind of intensity. I regret the scene you describe. I regret the truths it reveals, and I regret that it upset you. Did the film want to upset us? If so, why? Did that scene want to disturb us? If so, why? Was it a successful appeal to pathos? In what ways? How did your emotions modulate as you watched this scene? What do you want/need to understand about it?
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