Heli

Name: Heli
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: June 13, 2014
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 59

2014

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Mixed or average reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Outsider Pictures | Release Date: June 13, 2014 | Not Rated

Summary: Estela is a 12 year old girl who has just fallen in love with a young police cadet who wants to run away with her and get married. While she tries to achieve this dream, her family is engulfed in the violence of the region.

Director: Amat Escalante

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Gary Goldstein

Jun 12, 2014

Heli is a stunning piece of filmmaking. It's a hypnotic, starkly beautiful, often disturbing drama that puts a working-class Mexican family in the cross hairs of its country's drug war. Read full review

Time Out London Dave Calhoun

May 22, 2013

If Heli lacks enough focus and thematic clarity to make it properly special, it's still winningly provocative and always compelling. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

May 29, 2014

By film’s end, everyone has been transformed for the worst. Heli is a troubling and upsetting picture, a portrait of a broken country that seems to be beyond repair and a depiction of how violence and corruption, when left unchecked, taints saints and sinners alike, sparing no one. Read full review

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

May 22, 2013

Throughout the film [Escalante's] camera tends to be lurking in the middle distance; coolly observing everything that passes through its inquisitive frame, leaving the messy business of reaction to us. Read full review

Randy Cordova

Jul 11, 2014

Writer-director Amat Escalante was named best director at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for this project, and although it obviously is made with some skill, it also is unrelentingly dire. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Jun 10, 2014

The problem with Heli is that “hard to watch” is its sole characteristic. Read full review

Farran Smith Nehme

Jun 11, 2014

The real unflinching truth is that an average newspaper reporter can do a more artful, compassionate job with a drug-war story than this movie does. Read full review

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foxgrove

Aug 27, 2014

A powerful Mexican drama that, although very well made, is not particularly likeable entertainment. It tells of an impoverished Mexican family unwittingly drawn into the region's drug wars due to the sister's involvement with a young and naïve police cadet. The film captures the milieu ofA powerful Mexican drama that, although very well made, is not particularly likeable entertainment. It tells of an impoverished Mexican family unwittingly drawn into the region's drug wars due to the sister's involvement with a young and naïve police cadet. The film captures the milieu of poverty drugs and corruption unerringly well and has no problem registering strong responses and emotions. It also has a clinical matter of fact approach to violence which is demonstrated in two or three scenes that are shocking in there casualness. Ultimately, this is one hell of a cautionary tale directed with assured confidence that underlines just how suddenly lives can spiral out of control, in this case, due to the actions of others.… Expand

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LeZee

Jul 3, 2014

An independent Mexican crime-drama. It was chosen to represent the country in the 86th academy awards. The story of a brother and sister. The responsibility of the brother was showcased when his family was torn by outraged men belong to the drug trafficking. Just another side story of theAn independent Mexican crime-drama. It was chosen to represent the country in the 86th academy awards. The story of a brother and sister. The responsibility of the brother was showcased when his family was torn by outraged men belong to the drug trafficking. Just another side story of the movie 'Trade' between a family, law and brutal world.

In a small desert town, Heli, in his 20s lives with his dad and a teen sister Estela. He's married and has a little baby. He and his dad work for the same automobile factory while his sister is at school. An army camp is held for nearby their village. Estela's secret relationship and army's raid on drug dealers, all these lead to get involved in an affair for this little family. The corrupted law is not an option to rely so Heli must stand his own and fight. The world he's after is not for a person like him, he had left no choice other than going for it.

It was a good movie in the aspect of exhibiting the contests. The synopsis says, it is a heroic movie. Heli won't just go into the underworld and smack everyone down. The presentation was in realistic approach. A very well told story with limited characters and dialogues. Yes the movie talks less and displays more, but not completely. Leaves many unsolved mysteries, though it makes you sure you understand without showing the other side of the narration. It's better as now than revealing everything because it could have been lots of violence. A couple of scenes were raw and violent. A bit disturbing as well.

The problem with this movie was the rest of the world received it well, but the natives did not. The reason is the country was portrayed in the bad shade. Like the one we always see in the Hollywood movies which denoted how dangerous is their neighbor. The flaw and the misuse in the law enforcement, especially people from isolated place had to face their problem by themselves. So Mexico's not the only one to have issues like this, but many other parts of the world do. The filmmaker hailed from there so he did this. Remember this movie is better compared to 'Trade' which was more disturbing. In the end, both these movies were not neglectable, because of the plot it showcase was one of the actual crimes that happens everywhere.… Expand

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