Now in theaters.
[Rating: Rock Fist Way Down]
In a world where the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, who are we to turn to? Will those who feel under represented finally take a stand and attack back or will chaos ensue in any panic? New Order, a film by Michel Franco, examines a dystopian future in Mexico that answers the question of what happens when the working class takes a stand. The film is an on the nose tension infused drama that stands on the brink of wanting to be a classic with a morally righteous plot, but never finds its footing in a confusing plot that is a tiresome trek through Mexico City.
The film opens into a wedding party for Marianne (Naian Gonzalez Norvind) and her soon to be husband. Her parents estate in which this party is set, is a lavish box-like dream that has rooms upon rooms of drunken guests, safes to hide valuable jewelry and money and servants to help feed the hungry guests. When former worker Rolando (Eligio Melendez) pays a visit to Marianne’s mother Rebecca (Lisa Owen) in order to get money for his dying wife’s surgery, she gives him what she can but tells him to return later. This in turn finds Marianne giving Rolando some more money, but in searching for any more, Rolando leaves and Marianne, alongside house worker Cristian (Fernando Cuautle) make the drive to Rolando’s home to give him the remaining balance.
Now lies the bigger problem the two face – a revolution. Unknown to the viewer as to why, a revolution of lower and middle class citizens is slowly taking root and finding its way into the homes of the upper class households. Marianne and Cristian make it to their destination, but soon after Marianne is kidnapped by the military. Whose side is the military on? We’re not sure. On the other hand, many are massacred and robbed at the wedding party by belligerent revolutionists and many in Marianne’s family are killed or harmed. Soon after, the city is under military rule and Christian and his mother Marta (Monica Del Carmen) must find a way to live under new rules and aid in freeing Marianne from military imprisonment.
I had no idea what the hell was going on in this film. I am glad it only took 90 minutes to finish because if it were any longer I would have not cared in the slightest. The biggest trouble of this film is the fact that the audience are just supposed to know and understand there is a revolution happening, and not exactly why or ask questions as to why this is. The film jumps around to various characters, but never establishes a true protagonist or ever once stays on one character long enough for myself to have ever cared.
I kept asking myself if the military is the good guy or bad guy, considering Marianne’s family is working with them to free her, yet they are the ones who kidnapped her and abused her. The finale of New Order also made me question what the entire point was and with no clear message, why do I care? Think of this film as the party scene in Parasite and the actions that happen there, but expand it and put all the feelings of those characters into an entire country. It doesn’t work when it’s not clearly focused.
New Order is not going to be an instant classic and I’m not even sure it knows what it wants to be. It has all the groundwork to be a film about a revolution and a prisoner of the revolution, but jumps to too many things at once, and leaves open-ended thoughts abound.
Christian Ramos is a classic film fan, having had the dream to host Turner Classic Movies for years now. He also has a large amount of Oscar trivia in his head, remembers dressing as Groucho Marx one Halloween, and cherishes the moment Julianne Moore liked his tweet.
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