Why so much hype?

Sadly Over-hyped

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This movie is right. When something isn't right we need to protest. We have every right to protest. Just because some policeman don't like it doesn't mean we should stay quiet and get tortured/beaten/raped. I think a Walkout is the best way. Alexa Vega thank you for staring in such a good film. You have brought a vision back to America. Anytime we believe something is immoral, or wrong we should stand up and protest. I give this movie a 10/10. It made me think that we don't just fight, We fight for a cause. An inspiring film. I believe this film should get a Grammy Award and a Nobel Piece Prize. The best film I ever saw. It wasn't about cowboys shooting, not about Cops and robbers, It's about Our rights and how we should be treated. We should be treated with love not hate.

I was really impressed with the movie.. It gave me so much knowledge and information about my chicano ancestors that was very inspirational. I was born in 76 and i noticed some things have changed in the school system but not everything.. there is always room for improvement in the schools... I was very moved and inspired by the movie.. I cheered and cried when they cried and cheered.. I am glad they were brave and strong enough for all latinos to take a stand. I am very proud of my Asian, Anglo and Black friends and family for taking a stand with us when we needed them the most.. They are some of the best people then and now... I appreciated the knowledge of the horrible police brutality to our teens.. How funny how that was not the case a couple months ago here in los angeles with the L.A county High schools.. Boy, how times have changed..

I have seen this movie 3times on HBO and once with the producer and his daughter taking questions. In between there have been school walkouts in LA County to protest inflammatory legislation in Congress that though it would never pass would have made felons out of the undocumented. Whereas in 1968 protests were for the right to know about La Raza, and have better educational opportunities, in 2006 the walkouts were chaotic and counterproductive. If only the students of today with their cell-phones, IPods, and video games had one-tenth of the educational focus of the leaders of the "Walkout" of 1968! The historical accuracy of the film suffers from what appears to a "composite" of efforts to suppress Spanish by corporal punishment of earlier generations. In trying to get your message across it does not help to exaggerate history. Nevertheless, the actual walkouts of that time accomplished a lot for Chicanos or Latinos. One has to ask the youth of today, as I have, "To what extent can you blame institutional racism or cultural insensitivity, and totally exempt the individual student of personal responsibility, to echanr ganas para estudiar y seguir adelante? Where do the failures of the system end and self-victimization begin?

Just saw the replay this past Sunday AM. This was not EJO's best, and may rank as one of his worsts. The script was sub standard. Predictable dialogue. Cinematography was good, but I thought the production design infused way too much color. Should have emphasized the brown a bit more, if you know what I mean. I did like Yancey's Filipino accent. I can't believe it took 3-4 writers to get the script film ready. That's usually one sign of problems.Many reviewers and posters rank the significance of the Walkouts and its depiction by this HBO film as more important than the cinematic execution of the story and the characters. I feel such thinking is limited. I also wonder had this Chicnao activism never taken place, had there been no Walkouts... I wonder if reviewers would really see the cinematic weaknesses of this film. I think HBO should have made a documentary.