This movie is a parody of saving private Ryan with a big difference: this movie is a comedy that uses the Mexican stereotype to bring us some funny situations. The starring actors in this movie make a great performance like a group of "narcos" (drug dealers) with all the colorful that people thinks the narcos has. The music, the clothes, the speech and the cars has one purpose: fun. The story worthless the important thing here is the relationship in the family. Miguel Rodarte, Joaquin Cossio and Jesus Ochoa made an excellent work. Adal Ramones and Jaime Camil like always: not good not bad. The soundtrack is a band music compilation with pop song soy rebelde by jeanette. If you have time go to cinema but first watch black swan, the king's speech, 127 hours or true grit.
15 Reviews
A good Mexican action movie
DogePelis201521 November 2020
Of no interest whatsoever.
ardianos3 October 2012
This attempted Hollywood style action movie is a shameful example of what a lack of talent can achieve. The fact that it received support from government institutions is a disgrace for Mexican cinema.
While the premise is not bad, the script lacks character depth. The gags don't work and, overall, gives the idea of a lack of direction. Instead of progressing, it just keeps getting worse and worse. The situations go from unrealistic to ludicrous and, as the movie advances, it becomes more reliant on special effects which are not credible at all. As a truck advances through the sand dunes of some dessert in Asia, it looks like an old-fashion animation of it.
The budget used on this film could be a lot more profitable if put in the right hands.
While the premise is not bad, the script lacks character depth. The gags don't work and, overall, gives the idea of a lack of direction. Instead of progressing, it just keeps getting worse and worse. The situations go from unrealistic to ludicrous and, as the movie advances, it becomes more reliant on special effects which are not credible at all. As a truck advances through the sand dunes of some dessert in Asia, it looks like an old-fashion animation of it.
The budget used on this film could be a lot more profitable if put in the right hands.
Boring and predictable
juantonivaldivia24 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
So I might be the only person who thought this but this movie was the worse $20 ever spent. There is 0 character development and seems they wrote the movie as they when with boring characters that rarely say anything funny instead it relies on your cliché physical comedy. the action is just boring the characters seem like your typical "dumn males" They tried to put in some meaning into the movie but it is unclear and its just lost in the twisted story line and horrible slapstick humor. If I had to guess it might be something about the Iraqis being good guys and American soldiers being bumbling idiots? (really! the soldiers in this movie are worse than storm troopers! they don't land more then one hit on out "heroes") But with all its flaws it still managed to pull a semi happy ending where things just magically get better (spoiler) his mom is magically cured and partying it up oh and for some reason his family magically ignores the fact the main character is an efin drug lord (also main reason they where never in his life) the only reason I even gave it 3 stars is for the few times I thought damn this movie is so bad its amusing. Don't waste your money or time..
Saving Private Perez is not a parody of an American film is a parody of drug dealers life style and current situation of North Mexico
francisco_floresmeyer8 September 2011
This movie is called by others as a parody of Saving Private Ryan and it is half true but only by argument. This movie es indeed of the search of a soldier called Perez that is captured in Iraq. But this time is not by a unit from the same army, this private is being rescued by a commando of drug dealers leaded by the older brother of the soldier who is one of the main drug lords of Mexico.
This drug lord trying to make amends with his mother offers to rescue his brother that left with US troops to gain a green card. So this man, ignorant as it is believed drug dealers are, assembles a group of commandos with special tactics used to smuggle or protect drugs, so you can imagine how weird these men are. They will help him to travel across Arabian dessert to rescue young Perez. Trough out the journey you'll see many parodies of 80's action movies and the culture of drug dealers in how they talk, act and specially how they dress.
So don't expect the same line of humor US movie's have it is Latinamerican humor which is very different. Still is an enjoyable movie
This drug lord trying to make amends with his mother offers to rescue his brother that left with US troops to gain a green card. So this man, ignorant as it is believed drug dealers are, assembles a group of commandos with special tactics used to smuggle or protect drugs, so you can imagine how weird these men are. They will help him to travel across Arabian dessert to rescue young Perez. Trough out the journey you'll see many parodies of 80's action movies and the culture of drug dealers in how they talk, act and specially how they dress.
So don't expect the same line of humor US movie's have it is Latinamerican humor which is very different. Still is an enjoyable movie
Unforgettably funny and exciting
jorgeelfettleia10 April 2011
I saw this movie after his third week at first place in the Mexico's box office, even over all Hollywood releases. Let's not waste more time to say it: "Salvando al soldado Pérez" is a great comedy, spectacular, kitsch, strange, funny, a very different movie that the ones we are used to saw from Mexican cinema. I mean, it happens in Irak!!!! They go to Turkey, the have an adventure, there's no sign of the same loser-goes-loser cliché of so many Mexican movies, no, in "Salvando al soldado Pérez" we mexicans are heroes, are compadres and are very funny adventurers. I had a great time in the theater. I only have one doubt: where the hell is Irak? I love the answer to this that the main character gives to one of his friends in a scene of the movie, jajajajajajajaja
I love this film, a must see and a great cinematographic experience!!!!
marialosa5627 March 2011
I truly love this film, is so funny and also so exciting, something that most of Mexican movies today seem to have forgotten. Is also a powerful story about family, I don't think is about to sanctified criminals, is about bad people doing a good thing in the middle of a terrible war and a crazy world. Antiheroes are here to stay in movies, since the beginning of cinema. And the antiheroes of "Salvando al soldado Pérez" are well presented, displayed and put into action and a weird but very enjoyable trip. I hope Mexican cinema learns from this movie to think about what cinema-goers expect from a movie: to have a very good time!!!!! By the way, I loved the references to Sergio Leone's movies and all the cinephile paraphernalia, including "Scarface", "Star Wars", you name it!!!!
The unique from the commonplace
lswote2 September 2011
This movie is really surprising because it is filled with clichés to tell a totally original story. It is the story of a Mexican drug lord who takes 5 of the baddest guys he can find to go rescue his brother who is an American soldier missing in Iraq, believed to have been captured by insurgents. It is filled with stereotypes about Mexicans and drug lords yet it is such a fresh story that none of that matters. In fact it adds a lot of tongue in cheek humor to the story because it plays the story off the stereotypes. There is humanity, redemption and a lot humor in this movie and is definitely worth seeing. It is mostly in Spanish with subtitles.
A funny Mexican action-comedy movie
ringodude669 April 2011
When I thought there were enough "narco" (drug dealers) movies, I saw the trailer of this movie... I believed there was something special in this movie, and, though I was wrong, anyway I had a funny time. This film deals with the typical Mexican stereotypes: drug trafficking, immigration,family values, etc. All in all,this film is a set of different hilarious gags, gags that perhaps a foreigner couldn't understand. The performances were pretty good, specially Miguel Rodarte (as Julián Pérez, the typical Mexican drug dealer), Jesus Ochoa (as Chema) and Gerardo Taracena (as Carmelo,a tomato farmer). As I said, this movie features numerous gags of physical humor, puns, and stereotypical characters. It is not a smart movie. It is not a movie with a message. It's only a funny movie for people who just wanna have a laugh. Anyway, this is one of the best Mexican films I've seen in recent years.
Unexpectedly fun Mexican comedy
Ursus_sp28 March 2011
Spoiler free review: The film portrays some Mexican stereotypes that are usually the popular target of the news, as well as other types of folklore, in a fun way. The movie show us those so-famous-Mexican drug dealers, parodying somehow the film Saving Private Ryan; but instead, they are saving private Perez. The cultural side, the vocabulary, the customs, the music and the garments, make fun of dealers and "narcos" in Sinaloa, Mexico. The good cast of characters (which are mostly known for appearing in Mexican soap operas) assemble a good rescue team that delivers some well distributed good action and funny moments.
About "values": If you are reviewing movies, don't criticize them subjectively, be objective. It's entertainment, values are learned at home.
About "values": If you are reviewing movies, don't criticize them subjectively, be objective. It's entertainment, values are learned at home.
Lighthearted spoof of action genre with affirmation of the Mexican identity
waheim3 September 2011
Before "Saving Private Perez" started, six indistinguishable action film previews reminded me of the repetition that comes with American action films, threaded with a slim MacGuffins. There were also two comedy trailers that had weird premises, and an outlandish over-the-top trailer for "Anonymous," a scary Tim Burtonesqe intensity/darkness and whopping Foley.
Happily "Saving Private Perez" is over-the-top and outlandish,but in a snarky, straight-forward, perhaps satirical, literal way. If this seems contradictory, it is because this film is having it all ways. And that is its pleasure. It is not a mockery, but a tongue in cheek presentation of a Mexican drug lord's quest to save his USA Marine brother held hostage in Iraq (which is somewhere near Saudia Arabia and Holland). His estranged mother had asked drug lord to bring the brother home (alive). Occasionally funny, the film follows this quest seriously.
The drug lord recruits a "Dirty Cinco" and they fly to Turkey and camel into Iraq. Much exaggerated, nothing is driven into the ground (but who can really exaggerate the American action film or one of our recent comedies?). Its exciting moments are balanced with laughs. "Saving Private Perez"'s ancestor is Phillipe DeBroccca's "That Man from Rio," which spoofed the Connery/Bond series, using exotic locations and validating French traits including stubbornness. "Perez" validates the Mexican character and travels as far.
Production values (2.35:1 aspect ratio)are unexpectedly good. Camera work includes appropriate long shots and scenes are staged for widescreen without excessive closeups. It's not a smooth film, but neither is "That Man From Rio"--you have to allow both their quirkiness and rough edges(cuts).
One pleasure of "Private Perez" is the sense of place, whether LA, a hacienda, rural Mexico, Istanbul or an Arabian desert. You enjoy the space which propels the action. Similar to Brazilia in "That Man from Rio" it intrigues without being a travelogue
I haven't seen a desert like this since "Lawrence of Arabia." It is beautiful desolation. At one point, the "heroes," climb out of an oil pipeline, cover themselves in desert dust and remind me of the mole men in "Superman Meets the Molemen." The film offers other references.
"Saving Private Perez" is an interlude from the dispirited manufactured films that clog our previews. With nonchalance, a joke ever so often, an action sequence here and there, it refreshes us.
Happily "Saving Private Perez" is over-the-top and outlandish,but in a snarky, straight-forward, perhaps satirical, literal way. If this seems contradictory, it is because this film is having it all ways. And that is its pleasure. It is not a mockery, but a tongue in cheek presentation of a Mexican drug lord's quest to save his USA Marine brother held hostage in Iraq (which is somewhere near Saudia Arabia and Holland). His estranged mother had asked drug lord to bring the brother home (alive). Occasionally funny, the film follows this quest seriously.
The drug lord recruits a "Dirty Cinco" and they fly to Turkey and camel into Iraq. Much exaggerated, nothing is driven into the ground (but who can really exaggerate the American action film or one of our recent comedies?). Its exciting moments are balanced with laughs. "Saving Private Perez"'s ancestor is Phillipe DeBroccca's "That Man from Rio," which spoofed the Connery/Bond series, using exotic locations and validating French traits including stubbornness. "Perez" validates the Mexican character and travels as far.
Production values (2.35:1 aspect ratio)are unexpectedly good. Camera work includes appropriate long shots and scenes are staged for widescreen without excessive closeups. It's not a smooth film, but neither is "That Man From Rio"--you have to allow both their quirkiness and rough edges(cuts).
One pleasure of "Private Perez" is the sense of place, whether LA, a hacienda, rural Mexico, Istanbul or an Arabian desert. You enjoy the space which propels the action. Similar to Brazilia in "That Man from Rio" it intrigues without being a travelogue
I haven't seen a desert like this since "Lawrence of Arabia." It is beautiful desolation. At one point, the "heroes," climb out of an oil pipeline, cover themselves in desert dust and remind me of the mole men in "Superman Meets the Molemen." The film offers other references.
"Saving Private Perez" is an interlude from the dispirited manufactured films that clog our previews. With nonchalance, a joke ever so often, an action sequence here and there, it refreshes us.
Just great....
libertines38-189-63546023 December 2011
"Saving Private Perez" is not only the funniest film of the year, but it also features the best ensemble cast. "Saving Private Perez" gets some of Mexico's finest to act. I can best describe this film as Seven Samurai directed by Stephen Chow. It's a story of these seven Mexicans trying to rescue a drug lord's brother. It was insane and funny, but it isn't a parody of American war films it's a parody of drug dealers in Mexico and action films. In fact if it wasn't for the last frame of this film....This could be my favorite film of the year. Coming into the theater I could tell that they thought no one would want to watch this film there was trash all over the floor and the projector wasn't even in. Finally they realized "oh crap there is a crowd here. We better start this soon." I was worried, but this turned out to be the best "movie experience" for me all year. I went into a theater full of Mexicans all ready to laugh. When the first scene happens with these little kids playing with a sling shot you hear a guy a row behind us say "all hard" and I bursted out in laughs. This film does have its touching moments though. The film jumps around from the past to the present so you could see the protagonist's past. You see his life wasn't the easiest. He had to sell drugs in order to get by for his family after his father's death. Saving Private Perez gets all the style points for me as well. It had the best clothes as well as the best music. TOMATOES! (9.0/10)
Viva México and Viva "Salvando al soldado Pérez"!!!!!!!!
ernestodiezadepez22 May 2011
Just saw this movie during a special midnight screening in the "Hola México" Film Festival in L.A., and let me tell you that I love it!!!! Really funny, with great characters and an imaginative and international story, for me as a Mexican was a touching but also exciting experience to be in an American cinema watching a great Mexican movie. What a crazy and well done idea for a movie. At last a Mexican movie where we are the heroes of the movie!!!!!! I can't wait to the commercial release of this movie in the U.S., I check the Internet and it seems it will be September the 16th of 2011. Viva México and Viva "Salvando al soldado Pérez"!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the soundtrack was incredible, the score and the songs, all delivering the right tone for the screenplay, the actors and everything that takes life on the screen!!!!!!!
A great parody
hamletquiron17 March 2012
I guess this is the best movie I've watched far away about the middle east war. Isn't just funny and maintain you in the screen all the time, but also is a very interesting parody of the American heroes movies, specially because there aren't as bad movies as war American movies where everything goes alright and the soldiers save the world -well everybody knows the epilogue of those movies-, so this parody do the exercise of expose the ridiculous American war movies taking an amazing topic: a main leader of the Mexican north narco mafia in the search - with some "bullies"- of his brother in the main center of the conflict in Irak. This "narcocomand" goes to war to release an American soldiers hostages that even the American troops can release so is really hilarious the way that the movie goes developing across the history to reach a good level of sarcasm and irony of those absurd and boring American war movies. An 8 because of course is not The Godfather, but this director should keep doing this kind of works and not be afraid of expose the typical stupid Hollywood movies. It worth it.
Codename: "Tomato..."
poe42626 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
When his little brother Juan is captured by "rebel forces" in Iraq, drug cartel kingpin Don Julian Perez (Miguel Rodarte) puts together a team of cinco locos to go and rescue him. Why take such a risk? Because Mama Perez will never forgive Julian if he doesn't do it. When an assistant tries to show him where Iraq IS on a map, he snaps: "Forget the history lesson, let's get down to business." Sounds more than a little like the behind-the-scenes discussion(s) that preceded the U.$. invasion of Iraq, don't it? He is presented with a list of possible hombres to recruit for the mission, but draws the line at "the cannibal." (Unlike U.$. politicos, Don Perez has SOME scruples...) SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ is as slick as anything produced in Hollywood (or anywhere else, for that matter), with some truly stunning cinematography. The performances all around are on the money and the direction is surprisingly good (because I've never heard of this director before- though, hopefully, we'll be seeing and hearing a lot more from him in the future). Two of my favorite scenes involve Don Perez diving through the air, once skimming along horizontally while firing at his attackers in a way that would make John Woo blush and, later, leaping from the rooftop of one bombed-out building to another during a BLACKHAWK DOWN-type of rescue; very kung fu movie/Robert Rodriguez-ish. Carmelo's reference to Sasha the Russian as "Chacha" throughout was another nice little touch. Beto Gomez is a director to watch.
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