Sujo – REVIEW

As a cinephile who has seen my fair share of gritty crime dramas, I must admit that Sujo caught me off guard with its poignant exploration of one young boy’s journey to escape the destructive grip of cartel life. The film’s opening scene is hauntingly reminiscent of Sicario, but it quickly establishes itself as a unique story with a powerful message.

A movie opening with a four-year-old boy in the back seat of a car, accompanied by his Mexican cartel assassin father as he murders a rival cartel member, hints at Sujo being a gritty, vengeance-themed thriller similar to Sicario or its sequel Soldado. The story unfolds in four acts and centers around the character Sujo, who is now an orphan after his aunt takes him in following his father’s death. As the No. 8 member of the cartel, Sujo’s father met a revenge-driven end, and cartel traditions dictate that Sujo must also be eliminated to prevent him from seeking vengeance against the cartel responsible for his father’s murder.

It’s Aunt Nemesia who secretly shelters him and his father’s car in her secluded desert cabin, raising him alongside her sons Jai and Jeremy. As a teenager, the lifestyle of Sujo’s father begins to affect him as well, and he, along with Jai and Jeremy, is forced into being drug couriers. Aunt Nemesia doesn’t want him continuing down this path, so she sends him on a bus to Mexico City instead. There, he works at a produce distribution center but becomes captivated by the education classes. His potential is noticed by Susan, a schoolteacher there.

In my perspective, the core essence of Sujo lies in its poetic narrative, personal growth through self-determination, and a subtle yet powerful message advocating improvement via education. The chapters are titled after individuals who significantly influence and shape his destiny. Instead of the typical path of vengeance, it offers an intriguing twist – a pivotal moment that forces him to grapple with the choice between upholding family ties and forging a brighter future. This thought-provoking climax leaves you yearning for more, wondering if he’ll continue on his journey towards a better tomorrow.

This film, penned and helmed by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez, boasts several compelling scenes. The opening scene, where Sujo is in the backseat as his father executes a hit, sets the tone. Later, when Sujo conceals himself beneath a table to evade an assassination attempt by a rival Sicario, tension mounts. Ultimately, the moral quandary Sujo finds himself in at the end of the story serves to win over the audience’s sympathies.

Sujo has been put forward as Mexico’s entry for the Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film, and it stands a good chance of winning the award.

Here’s the Sujo trailer…..

2024-12-11 03:23

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