Immigrating to a new country typically comes with its fair share of difficulties. Felix (Diego Tinoco) is about to find out the hard way how difficult things can become in Bad Hombres. Felix has entered the country illegally to stay with his cousin in the Deep South. His cousin is showing him the ropes, how to try and get quick work. Day after day lining up in the morning in front of a hardware store, hoping someone chooses them for a quick job. Get paid in cash, rinse and repeat the next day. Seems simple enough, right?
Felix’s time in the country gets off to a rocky start to say the least. Donnie Boy (Luke Hemsworth) decides to hire Felix for a job. $150 for Felix, $150 for a partner Felix brings with him. Donnie has hurt his hand, so he needs Felix and friend to do some work on his uncle’s ranch. Felix convinces Alfonso (Hemky Madera) to split the job. Alfonso is only interested in work and not at all in Felix’s attempts at getting to know him.
Then Donnie takes them out to a secluded patch of land and tells them to dig a big hole. Things quickly go off the rails and Felix gets shot. Alfonso takes him to see Rob (Thomas Jane), an old associate of his that can help in sticky situations. Alfonso and Felix are in quite the web that Alfonso is trying to untangle. Little do they know how much of a shitstorm they’re really in. An unnamed assassin (Tyrese Gibson) is hot on their tail.
John Stalberg Jr. directed Bad Hombres and was involved in creating the story along with Rex New and Nick Turner. New and Turner took that idea and worked together to write the screenplay. Bad Hombres is both New and Turner’s second feature length film. They co-wrote the other, 2016’s Dance Camp, so have experience working together in the same capacity. Similarly, Stalberg has worked with Hemsworth, Tinoco, and Madera on prior films he has directed. These relationships only help strengthen a film, knowing how to get the best out of the talent both onscreen and behind the scenes.
Bad Hombres is full of some crazy characters. Most notably the foul mouthed Donnie and cynical Rob. Hemsworth does a great job just letting loose. His nonstop talking and absurd actions, bordering on insanity, are quite enjoyable. New & Turner’s script has several comical pieces of dialogue mixed in with over-the-top violence and questionable decisions. Rob’s interactions with Alfonso and Felix are hilarious and Jane excels in the role.
Stalberg & co. make sure to really show the isolation of the area, mirroring Felix’s internal struggles. There is no shortage of landscape shots, both bare and stretching on as far as the eye can see or filled with rundown homes and businesses. Stalberg uses interest framing and angles to be able to convey to the audience what is happening off screen as well as on. These shots were executed perfectly, adding another level of tension to several scenes. Bad Hombres has a lot of successful pieces, but they were just not able to piece it all together. The film devolves into absurdity. Once it goes off that cliff, it picks up speed. The end result is a decently entertaining flick, but not one that’s going to be memorable or rewatchable for most.
