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Film Review  
ILLEGAL TENDER

  • In theaters August 24th 2007
  • Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality
  • Run Time : 108 Min
  • 1 out of 5

    • Review by Nathan Chandler for The Mungles on Movies


    Photo Have you ever been in the following situation: you are at a local high school play and one of the theater students completely forgets their lines? There they are, caught in their scrambling thoughts, like a deer in headlights. You, as the viewer, are completely taken out of the story and have now placed yourself into that person's confused state. You indeed feel embarrassed for them. Illegal Tender evokes these same types of emotions, not because the actors forgot their lines, but because they do such a poor job of delivering those lines.

      Photo Wilson DeLeon, Jr. (Rick Gonzalez) is a Latino college student who has everything going right for himself. He has a 4.0 GPA, a gorgeous girlfriend, a loving family, and oh yeah, a really, really nice car. Everything is normal until Wilson's mother, Millie (Wanda De Jes™s), runs into an enemy from the past while casually shopping at a grocery store. This encounter leads Wilson to not only start questioning his mom about their family's past, but also thrusts him into a new realm of being a man in a very dangerous world. Tired of being threatened and constantly running for their lives, Wilson and his mother take matters into their own hands by seeking revenge on the murderer who took away a father and a husband from the DeLeon family.

      Photo The drawn-out plot line, bad music cues, and insanely cheesy dialogue wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the horrible performance from Wanda De Jes™s. She plays the role of the strong-willed, tenacious mother like a bad caricature of an over-emotional Jean-Claude Van Damme. The least that director Franc. Reyes could have done was cut away to another character's emotional reactions as her extended monologues just hung her out for ridicule. Although none of the other performances were strong, the one saving grace for this movie is the performance of Rick Gonzalez. He's not great in the movie, but I can see promise for him as a leading character in other films if surrounded by a better cast and screenplay. The story never gives you a chance to take it seriously as it just gives out enough information and plot points to build to a payoff that is neither inventive or worth the ride.

      Photo Illegal Tender is rated R for a brief sex scene and very strong language. Violence is pretty rampant throughout, but whenever somebody is killed, it's often off-screen, although still aided by strong audio beds. I've seen rougher movies before, but this is still something those under 17 shouldn't see. If you enjoy movies that are way over-the-top and make you unintentionally laugh, you might get caught up in this one, but that's not enough for me to recommend it at all. I give Illegal Tender 1 out of 5 Solomans.

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    Nathan Chandler is a video producer and editor who lives in the heart of Dallas. He has a knack for making awesome mix CDs and has a vast knowledge for movie trivia. When Nathan isn't writing or producing short films on the side, he is wishing he was on Survivor, rooting for the Cowboys, or making sweet tea runs to Chick-fil-a. You can reach Nathan at his blog. Nathan also co-hosts The Film Alcove Podcast. Check it out!

     

     

    2007 Mungleshow Productions. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.