La Ley de Herodes (Herod's Law) poster & wallpaper
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Damián Alcázar, Pedro Armendariz Jr., Delia Casanova, Juan Carlos Colombo, Alex Cox ... see more see more... , Guillermo Gil , Ernesto Gomez Cruz , Leticia Huijara , Luis de Icaza , Eduardo López Rojas , Manuel Ojeda , Salvador Sanchez , Evangelina Sosa , Isela Vega

Luis Estrada directs this groundbreaking and extremely controversial satire about Mexico's long-ruling political party, the PRI. Set in the late 1940s in the remote, thoroughly backwards village of Sa... read more read more...n Pedro de los Saguaros, the film focuses on Vargas (Damian Alcazar), a petty politician who had the dubious honor of being appointed town mayor after his predecessor was decapitated for corruption by an angry mob. At first, he tries to balance the books and to bring the 20th century to the backwaters. When he is visited by slick PRI politico Lopez (Pedro Armendariz), however, he learns the officially sanctioned way of running the town: at gunpoint while pilfering the bank vaults. Soon Vargas becomes a power-mad despot, more than willing to steal or kill to further his goals. Though his PRI bosses try to reign him in, the lynch mob soon appears to be the inevitable end of Vargas' political career. The first film to criticize the PRI by name, Estrada's bitter farce savages the ruling party, the church and U.S. intervention. Cult director Alex Cox plays a small role as a seedy gringo. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

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87% liked it

2,070 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

25 critics

R, 2 hr.

Directed by: Luis Estrada

Release Date: January 20, 2000

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DVD Release Date: February 3, 2004

Stats: 120 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (120)

  • pier007
    December 25, 2011
    pier007
    Starts off with a funny, caustic humour, but the tone changes and wears off, drags, stretches in an unfunny, unsurprising second half. The idea was better than the outcome. Great leading performance.
  • Chiefilms
    August 15, 2008
    Chiefilms
    The first movie I saw in Mexico, a good representation of the corruption of the PRI, yet again something that should be studied before watching the film. Solid satire throughout of the political atmosphere of Mexico post-WWII. Good acting, funny, and also has its fair share of ... read moreviolence.
  • misterman99615
    August 30, 2008
    misterman99615
    A very interesting film of political satire full of interesting characters and a critical look at the problems with the Mexican Government. It's full of humour and it's enjoyable to see a simple honest man be given even the tiniest of villages and still turn into all those he wa... read mores resisting ever becoming. La Ley de Herodes is a great film of Mexico and one anyone could appreciate.
  • paolatinahermosa
    June 27, 2007
    paolatinahermosa
    DIVERTIDISIMA, MUESTRA EL ALBUR MEXICANO Y COMO ES EL MUNDO EN LA POLITICA COMO ES SABIDO ESTA LLENA DE CORRUPCION.

View All La Ley de Herodes (Herod's Law) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Matt Weitz
October 2, 2003
Matt Weitz, Denver Rocky Mountain News

Herod's Law is beautifully photographed, its imagery glazed with a sepia patina that suggests dust and neglect. Full Review

Jeff Strickler
September 18, 2003
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Alczar, who won the Mexican Oscar for his performance, brings a lot of energy to the role, but it's not enough to counterbalance the film's heavy-handed predictability. Full Review

Carla Meyer
September 12, 2003
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

Alcazar makes a deft transition from idiot to maniac, serving as an anchor for the broad performances around him. Full Review

Wesley Morris
September 12, 2003
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

Funny, evocatively photographed, and vibrantly acted salvo. Full Review

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
July 16, 2003
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Comes off as cartoonish drivel, broadly played and poorly written. Full Review

Roger Ebert
July 11, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Luis Estrada, the co-writer and director, uses his characters so clearly as symbols that he neglects to give them the complexity of human beings. Full Review

Allison Benedikt
July 10, 2003
Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune

As [Estrada's] fast-moving scenes raced toward the big-bang finish, I never wanted the dust to settle. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
June 12, 2003
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

A bombshell in its home country, Herod's Law is made with the kind of flair that ensures a following everywhere politicians are venal and voters hope against hope for deliverance. Full Review

Ted Shen
April 11, 2001
Ted Shen, Chicago Reader

The actors are uniformly excellent, embracing their arch roles without succumbing to caricature. Full Review

J. Hoberman
March 22, 2001
J. Hoberman, Village Voice

Production values are excellent and so is the cast. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Rosa: My husband...
    • Gringo: Is an asshole.
    • Rosa: Is an asshole.
    • Juan Vargas: What do I do with the body?
    • Dona Lupe: Stick it yourself.
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