The Men with Guns Directed by John Sayles - Movie Review Example

Men with Guns Your History 08/03 The movie ‘men with guns’ which is directed by John Sayles shows the unsettling situation in Latin America and how a Dr. travels the region, meeting new people and getting to know about the unsettling conditions of this area. The movies is categorized as fictional, however, the various situations and scenes mentioned in the movie resemble the real life happening that happened in Latin America from 1823 to 1910. John Sayles has stated the bitter truth of reality in a clear way without hiding them, which makes him a brave writer. The movie’s setting is in a country situated in Latin America, but the author has not provided the movie watchers with a name. It is a metaphor to show the different conditions in war and the responsibilities that come with it. With remarkable affirmation the director has managed to make the movie in different languages such as English, Spanish and different regional languages so that there is no difficulty in understanding the movie in these languages. The characters in the movies are not able to communicate freely which is why there is a prominent misunderstanding between them. The title ‘Men with Guns’ clearly reflects the motive of the movie. Men with guns are often misunderstood and considered brutal and are accounted for mishap and treachery. The storyline of the movie revolves around a main character who is called Dr. Humberto Fuentes and is shown as a white haired person who goes on a quest, to find out about the students that he trained, but this led to some peculiar set of circumstances that he did not plan on going through. During the consultation of the widower the good Dr. ponders over what could have happened to the young doctors who he trained to treat the less fortunate. The Dr. approaches the countries in a state of callousness, knowing little to nothing about the political situation of his country. With the help of his astounded views, the audience is able to see the gradual development of investigation into what the Civil war has inflicted. Slowly and sophistically the movie begins at a medium pace. Dr. Fuentes is deprived of the protection that he had; at first in the hubcaps, secondly in the car and lastly developing the sense that the world provides the refuge. He learns this when some remote villagers do not pay heed to is questions which shows that one of his students has passed away. The Doctor then meets a starving boy named Conejos who worked unofficially as an army mascot and hence had become indifferent to the ferocity that the war had inflicted. The starved boy shows the Doctor the torture chamber that was previously a village school. The Doctor goes deeper and develops a family of different types. He also gets acquainted to a robber named Domingo who later becomes an apprentice for the Doctor. Domingo recalls what he had done when he was a soldier, the crimes that he had committed and the brutality that he perpetrated indirectly placing the blame on guerillas but not naming them. A priest also joins the batch and is the source of the movies most suggestive story of misfortune and its clear portrayal of vindication. The film goes down the slop as the journey of the good doctor progresses (Maslin 1998)1. The author in Problem in modern Latin American history writes the brutal acts that were inflicted upon the people of Latin America. Like the movie, he describes certain things such as the people who stood at the gates of the church and lashed upon the ladies leaving the church who did not wear the ribbon the signified the unanimity. There were many restrictions on the people at that time and the terror that was instilled in them. Terror is something that spread like a plague among the people and never seemed to stop. The people were not allowed to laugh or spread happiness and all of this happened in Spain. The stories mentioned are very similar to those told by Conejos to the Doctor. Like in the movie the army men inflicted torture to the people similarly in this the authoritative persons tortured the people (Chasteen and Tulchin 1994)2. The Guano island act that was written in 1856 also shows the same kind of ruthlessness towards the public. According to this act, any Guano that is found anywhere will be the property of Government and the founder of the land will gain no profit, no advantage for finding Guano and if anyone fails to abide by the rules then they will be punished strictly which will be decided by the President. This act shows the ferocity the government shows and the impartiality in this case. The ruling government is more of the dictator like in the movie rather than democratic (Law.cornell.edu 2015)3. In 1823 at the seventh annual message of President James Monroe, the minister was given complete authority over the two countries that were situated in the North West of the continent. The Government of USA was very excited for this friendly proposal which held great value. Under this agreement the territories of the United States were pronounce independent and that no other European country would take power over these states. Great steps were implemented to improve the conditions of Spain and Portugal, such as to improve the politico-economic conditions within the region and to improve the standard of living as well. However, the recent events in both these countries show that living there is still quite unsettling and disturbing for the people. It should be made sure that the political parties expand themselves without affecting the current process of work (Loc.gov 2015)4. In 1904 President Roosevelt gave a stern proposition against Monroe’s Doctrine and this was known as Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe doctrine of 1823 was unassertive because it demanded the Europeans to increase their effect on any region of the Western Hemisphere. By the 20th century, United States had turned in to a more confident state that was prepared to participate in the form of regional coordinator. In 1900’s Roosevelt got worried about the clashes between Venezuela and its beneficiary and that it had the capability to get invaded by the European superiors. Roosevelt in 1904 stated that the United States of America would intercede as a last option so that no other nation could overtake the regions. As a result of this the USA increased their military forces in order to reinstate the internal peace of the nation and to avoid any of the wrong doings of other states (Ourdocuments.gov 1905)5. In 1910, the Mexican presidential elections were robbed from Diaz who was a dictator since years, Diaz had arrested his rival Madero but Madero escaped to Texas and there he launched the Plan of San Luis Potosi which demanded the annulment of the presidential elections and asked the Mexicans to take matters into their own hand and defeat the government. This day marks the beginning of revolution that Mexico underwent. Before this Mexico was completely under the dictatorship, the rules and laws and regulations only belonged to the courts and the common man suffered a lot. The law was enforced on the general public and for the government’s own personal benefit rather than the benefit of the people. There was not a possibility of conducting any sort of movement against the evil ruler. Just like in the movie Gebrak Diaz was the person everyone feared. There was no freedom or independence and the people even feared to live independent. When Madero won the elections and overthrew the ruling government, it was then that Mexico truly rejoiced the feeling of freedom and got over 36 years of dictatorship that it was facing. This movement portrayed the best example of denial, violence and resistance. The people of Mexico were in denial before the movement, and faced violence throughout Diaz’s ruthless regime and then they showed resistance against the ruling government and at the end they won the fruit of their hardwork (Fransesco Madero, 1910).6 Mexico underwent a lot of torment after its establishment due to the military leaders that stripped Mexico of its independence and freedom and provoked terror and fear in the hearts of people. But the after effects of the military regime remains imprinted on Mexico’s present and future as wel which is why Mexico still faces a troubled political situation. WORKS CITED: Maslin, Janet. 1998. Movie Review - Men With Guns - FILM REVIEW; An Unsuspecting Traveler Loses His Illusions, Step By Harrowing Step - Nytimes.Com. Nytimes.Com. http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=950CE0DC1131F935A35750C0A96E958260. Chasteen, John Charles, and Joseph S Tulchin. 1994. Problems In Modern Latin American History. Wilmington, Del.: SR Books. Loc.gov,. 2015. Monroe Doctrine: Primary Documents Of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library Of Congress). http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Monroe.html. Ourdocuments.gov,. 1905. Transcript Of Theodore Roosevelts Corollary To The Monroe Doctrine (1905). http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=56&page=transcript. Read More