Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Nice effects though.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

If this was the 'best' Mexico had that year, the others must have been pretty bad. It was slow. Too many car rides and views from the back seat. The lead actor s**cked in his role. Others weren't much better. The DVD cover had "Stunning", "Powerful" and "Soul of Mexico" as praises. Bull! Not a good film and this was chosen Best Director at Cannes? Sheesh.

a minimalistic film. a simple story. a dark moment. and the fall of an universe. all in right doses. all convincing, dramatic and impressive. the only problem - the generosity of theme who reduced Heli as a moral manifesto. after the lost of Estela, the rhythm seems be reduced for analysis of trauma. the key moment is only shadow for torture and corruption of police and the search of sense of young family. a story who seems be coherent becomes a sort of improvisation. the image is surrogate for acting. each scene from the last part seems be fight for invent purpose of the first part. a good film, off course. for message. for the bitter taste. for drama. for exploration of crisis. but far to be great.

Heli is another Mexican violent film. Even though México is not the only country with mafia and crime, the Mexican producers can't show different perspectives of life since 80's. The plot is simple and silly, the end is predictable. Easy to write story, just a bunch of violent sequences, the characters are really stupid or with low IQ (Lots of Mexican movies made by Mexicans depicts the same irresponsible "malinchismo") The shocking scenes are just that, a cheap intent to impact the audience (blood, vomit or burns are always the easy way to cause an impact in audience -even by amateurs-, while professional writers prefer human stories, which requires talent that is not available in this embarrassing and silly film)

I really expect something else, I can't believe that the critics in Mexico believe and liked this movie, in Mexico during the 70's and 80's had the movies of "FICHERAS", now we have the movies of "NARCOS". Really we as country and as movie lovers don't deserve something better than a bad and boring copy of the same drama?!!? I really believe this movie doesn't deserve to represent Mexico at the Oscar. If this is the view that we expect the world have about Mexico it's really sad, I believe that we have more interesting movies, with soul, maybe someone called pink or a fantasy, but I live in Mexico and I never see or known that someone had a experience like this. This happens? of course, but why use violence in a movie, when all around the world are taking about the values. why Mr. Escalante didn't made a movie about a loving family, with problems and how close are we as Latinos, as Mexicans. Because always the violence, the bad and rotten aspects of the society sales better. Honestly, please avoid waste your time and your money!!!