Sin Nombre

Edgar Flores plays the lead role of Casper in the film.  He is a member of the vicious street gang Mara Salvatrucha that commands and gets full control of its part of the city.  The boss of the gang is “Lil Mago” who is played by Tenoch Huerta Mejia.  Although Mago’s character doesn’t have a lot of screen time like the other leads; he’s the type on gang leader you don’t want to mess with.  But by over doing his authority he loses the respect of his fellow gang member Casper and in the end he steps over the line. In the beginning of the film a young boy named Smiley is introduced to the gang and viscously initiated by other gang members.  “Smiley” is played by Kristian Ferrer.  In the end of the movie he has to make a decision; He has to choose between killing a friend that wins the respect of the Mara or be forever banned and posted a dead man. Thos film had a lot of graphic violence; its very gang related and rated R for real. So this isn’t a film to watch around little kids. Paulina Gaitan Play “Sayra”, an innocent teenager that trying to escape poverty by taking an extremely dangerous train ride to the U.S. After many years with out seeing her father and brother they all have a tender moment after years and years of not seeing each other. While together they all promise to never leave each other as they make their way though dangerous places. But destiny determines their lives and only one of them lives.
This film is shot in mostly handheld camera work, which makes it more realistic for the viewers. The barrio scenes are amazing and with the techniques of different camera work they really capture the brutality of the life their living. The more time they spend with the gang, the more it reveals their darkness. Their leader little Mago is very well Like most talented military dictators, his crazy tattoos foiled with the baby he’s holding in his arms make it hard to understand what his intentions are.
Sayra her father and brother are refugees that hope to get themselves to the states and have a better life.  Most of the time their on top of railroad box cars where they ride for hours on end dealing with the unbearable weather and being hit by branches. The camera work on those scenes are great, they show how real some things can be when being an immigrant trying to get to the states.
“Sin Nombre” is a fun, but has its tough points, yet a great film to watch if your into that gang related stuff. As Casper becomes the “Public Enemy” mobster, his odds are stacked against him. Although he might survive like smart Rambo or he might even die like the outcast mob boss of the 1920’s.  You’re just going to have to watch the movie and find out for your self.