La Soga Review
By David Kempler
Mediocre Beef
Set in and around the cities Santiago and Baitoa in the Dominican Republic, "La Soga" strives to be a realistic look inside crime, brutality and corruption in that country. Supposedly based on a true story, there are a couple of parts that make you sit up and scratch your head, wondering if what you just saw could have really happened, and they couldn't have.
The backgrounds shot by director Josh Crook all attempt to scream reality. They include cockfights and run-down homes and businesses, and a collection of characters that look like they belong there. But in the end, that all gets lost in the non-unique story of a bad man who has enough integrity to finally stand up against the corruption and insanity (of which he is a major and vital part). That man is La Soga, in English: the Butcher's Son.
Manny Perez is both the writer and star, and his role as Luisito portrays himself as a poor little boy who watched his father murdered right in front of him. The murderer was a mobster-type who now spends most of his time in New York. Luisito is now grown up and working for the incredibly corrupt government official, General Colon (Juan Fernandez). Colon is the head of the secret police. They go around "legally" executing the scum of the streets, particularly the scum that isn't paying him. Fernandez is the weak link in "La Soga". I could never get comfortable with him in his role; couldn't buy him as the head honcho, tough guy.
Luisito sees the error of his ways when a girl he knew as a child comes back into his life as an adult. Guess what? She's gorgeous and wants him, but she's a "nice" girl so what choice does he have but to turn it around and become one of the good guys? And so he does, attempting to unravel the evil above him, but never losing sight of the fact that he must have his revenge against the man that took his father's life. Don't worry, everything that you expect to happen does happen, so if revenge is your cup of tea, you're in luck. Sure, there are a couple of speed bumps along the way, the worst being the regime turning against our young hero, but don't fret.
However, for what it's worth, "La Soga" packs in some exciting and violent scenes that manage to entertain. Despite its ordinary plot, the star and director manage to churn it up and hold our interest, and I cared about his character, at least a little bit, anyway. If you enjoy violence and a dash of sadism, and you like corrupt cops and robbers stuff, there is more than enough here for you. Just check to make sure that you have brought along your ability to believe some things that aren't all that believable.
