Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Miss Bala Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 24, 2019

Miss Bala is Hollywood's remake of the 2011 Mexican film of the same name. Quick, guess which version was met with more critical acclaim. This secondhand take on the story of a young woman forced into work for Mexico's notoriously violent drug cartels is directed by Catherine Hardwicke, whom many will recognize as the director of the skateboarding film Lords of Dogtown as well as the smash hit Twilight. Miss Bala struggles to find an identity. It's not convoluted or slow, but it feels inconsequential, bland, recycled. There's a dearth of creativity, an obvious absence of compelling characters, and a decidedly lackluster collection of action scenes. The film ekes out a few quality character beats and cultural insights but generally falls into the trap of playing for its next action scene rather than taking then time to build a case for its existence.

Gloria Fuentes (Gina Rodriguez) is an LA-based makeup artist who is traveling to her native Mexico to help her friend Suzu (Cristina Rodlo) prepare for the Miss Baja California beauty pageant. While the two are enjoying a relaxing night at a club, several gunmen attack. Gloria escapes but is separated from Suzu. She is soon kidnapped by the perpetrators who belong to an organization known as "Las Estrellas." Gloria is forced into service, driving explosives to a target and crossing the border to secure a cache of illegal weapons while under the watchful eye of one of the gang's leaders, Lino (Ismael Cruz Córdova). But the DEA quickly tracks down and apprehends Gloria and forces her into service as an undercover mole that could put her life, and the lives of many others like her around her, in danger.

The picture is adequately stylish, but stylish without much flash. Hardwicke manages to balance the movie's grit, danger, and violence with a framing that is somewhat flattering at the same time. It's a modest achievement that gives the film an interesting visual and tonal juxtaposition. It never pushes to any extreme -- narratively or cinematically -- and plays it safe to a degree, which is part of its downfall, but there is a tangible feel for the chaotic fundamentals, the inner turmoil, and exploding violence that all play a part in shaping and driving the narrative. Gina Rodriguez does carry the lead well. The part does not challenge her beyond filling the shoes of a trope-filled character, but Rodriguez digs deep enough to find the humanity in her character and plays the evolution from frightened victim to a central figure in a violent back-and-forth between the cartels and the American DEA. She's quite good physically, too, and it would be great to see her as the lead in another physically demanding action movie that might dramatically challenge her more than this one; she clearly seems up to the task.

The film thinly expands its reach to the areas around the edges of its main story, which include minor forays into character and cultural foundations that do play a part in driving the story but are more important in grounding it rather than propelling it forward, in giving it fleeting feels for true human characteristics and interactions rather than leaving the characters paper-thin tropes that serve only to propel action. Mostly, Miss Bala services the latter much more so than the former; the picture cannot escape the ebbs and flows of moving from one set piece to the next, driven by its action needs rather than exploring gradually realized glimpses of complex humanity. It is in those fleeting moments, moments where the picture finds a voice for its characters and character for the world around them, that it is at its best. The picture is otherwise fairly stale and inconsequential, certainly well crafted and adequately acted. Its teases of something better hold it together, but its broad reliance on flat action and tired story tropes always reel it back to forgettable mediocrity.

Miss Bala Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The digitally photographed Miss Bala makes for a healthy, handsome Blu-ray. The image is clean and stable, with noise and banding only minimal concerns, the former barely noticeable beyond extreme lower light shots and the latter fleeting at worst. The presentation yields healthy details all-around, whether considering essential skin textures (pores, moles, facial hair), clothes, or environments, the latter of which reveal plenty of textural character and intricacy along the way. Colors are nicely saturated, enjoying a balanced contrast that neither pushes too warm nor too dull. There's plenty of natural, effortless punch to primaries while earthy supports are grounded and accurate. Skin tones appear true to actor complexions. Black levels are appropriately deep and avoid the appearance of crush. The image is nothing remarkable in 2019, but it's a solid performer that carries the material very well.

Miss Bala Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like the 1080p video presentation, Miss Bala's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is fairly standard, which means it's a quality, active, fairly robust listen but that offers nothing new of note for its time. It's appropriately wide, with music engaging fully across the front and offering a welcome and enveloping surround integration as well. Action scenes offer appropriate depth and intensity, with explosions hitting hard, gunfire popping with decent (never spectacular) thump, and chaos emerging from all speakers as the situation demands. Environmental ambience is nicely filling and gently immersive, too, defining each location with impressively precise detail and sound placement. Dialogue is unproblematic in all areas of concern.

Miss Bala Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Miss Bala contains a commentary, a few featurettes, and deleted and extended scenes. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director Catherine Hardwicke, Executive Producer Jamie Marshall, and Associate Producer Shayda Frost open with a discussion of the film's local flavor, shooting locations, and authenticity. They go on to discuss finer point details of the shoot and the Mexican crew, cast and characters, story, and other essentials and anecdotes. It's a well spoken track, never boisterous and instead light and even-keeled.
• Gina: The Strength of a Woman (1080p, 4:03): Talking up the film's star and the qualities she brought to the film. It also looks at her rise in stardom, even as a woman of color. It also explores the character she portrays.
• The Bigger the Bang (1080p, 7:31): A closer look at the film's gunplay and physical demands. It also looks at special effects and pyrotechnics.
• Making of Miss Bala (1080p, 7:05): A quick catch-all discussion of the original, reworking the story for this film, Catherine Hardwicke's direction, Gina Rodriguez's and Ismael Cruz Córdova's casting and performances, shooting locales, and more.
• Wardrobe Tests with Commentary by Director Catherine Hardwicke (1080p, 7:30): Hardwicke speaks over some test footage featuring various actors in numerous costumes. It's an interesting piece that explores the intricacies that go into the pre-production process.
• Action Rehearsal with Commentary by Director Catherine Hardwicke (1080p, 4:59): More test footage with Hardwick sharing some insightful thoughts over rehearsals.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes (1080p, 7:31 total runtime): Included are Salud, The Future Is Female, She's a Pochita Like Me, Pageant Dance with Crew, Where's Suzu, Don't Forget Your Toothbrush, You're Safe, and I Know How You Felt.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Miss Bala Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Miss Bala is a serviceable, but inconsequential, remake of a superior film. The picture goes nowhere and accomplishes little of dramatic novelty. It's competently assembled and performed but offers little of value beyond its handling of the basics. Sony's Blu-ray is well rounded on the technical side of the ledger, offering high end video and audio presentations as well as a quality assortment of supplemental content. Hunt down a copy of the original instead.