War Boys – DVD Review

The Film:

In War Boys, three college-age boys (who in Prince’s words, “act [their] shoe size” most of the film) wreck havoc in a supped-up pickup truck along the Mexican boarder, yelling like Banshees and chasing “beaners.” Their mantra: “Let’s hit the border before the border hits you.” David (Benjamin Walker) is a Duke-drop out rebelling against a single father (Peter Gallagher) who thinks his son can do better with his choices. George (Brian J. Smith) doesn’t like his dark skinned adopted sister Cat (Cheyenne Serano) and the demands of his own impinging sexuality. Greg (Victor Rasuk) joins the war boys because he is an outcast, even though, with his dark skin, he resembles the hunted more than the hunter. Greg also has yen for a donut-making older woman (Micaela Nevárez) with a shady past.

Maya Entertainment, with this film and the recently-released The Line (here), has two standout films where the Mexican border plays a central role. Unlike the boffo Machete, here the theme of the border is a serious one. One Mexican remarks to Greg after trying to solicit his ID, “We never crossed the border, the border crossed us.” In his “Civilization and its Discontents,” Freud maintained humans have a destructive “death wish” to move back toward an inanimate state. The War Boys here prove Freud correct as they go a bit too far with their antics. The tragic results: A Götterdämmerung of fire, bullets, destruction and death. All for the sake of thrill.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: A fine transfer that never calls attention to itself. The sounds and the colors come through without demands.

Extras: The lone set-up feature allows one to select Dolby 5.1 surround-sound instead of Dolby 2.0. The more intense audio is not necessary, but some may prefer the film in Thunderdome.

The Film: Rating:

The DVD: Rating: