In the film Sin Nombre it does an exceptional job at portraying the real life
scenario of the influence gang life has on the youth. In that unfortunate
society it’s something that is heavily influenced, whether it passed down
generational or through any other type of recruitment it’s something that
starts very early. It does not take to the long for the character of Smiley to
grow accustom to way of living the MS-13 exhibits on the film Sin Nombre.
After Smiley brutal initiation
beating he takes from a few of the other gang members to prove he can be worthy
of joining, it’s followed by a big smile on his face thus earning his nickname.
The second part of his initiation is a very vital scene in the film. The MS-13 stumbles
across a rival gang member of theirs and brings him back to their base. The
rival gang member exclaims that is no longer apart of his life and that he has
a family to please show him mercy. However, the tattoo on his stomach is enough
of a reason to take his life.
Lil Mago the gang leader of the
MS-13 shows absolutely no mercy, gets right in face and graphically explains
how his life is about to end and he will dog food very soon. This whole
dialogue scene takes place while Lil Mago’s baby is in his arms. It appears
very genuine this once rival gang member is no longer apart of this life and
wants nothing more of it, however, the chances of being spared his life at this
point are slim to none.
Once being told the rival gang
member’s life is about to be taken it seems Lil Mago is about to take his life
but instead wants Smiley to take the honor as another part of his initiation
process. Obviously the young Smiley is very shook and hesitant of this task,
only semi-ready because he is still well aware of what he signed up for. Lil
Mago orders Casper to assist Smiley in murdering the rival. Once doing so, you
can feel Smiley’s heart drop upon watching. To Casper it was probably nothing
more then just another day on the job.
Smiley appears to sit in disarray
pondering it seems. He is well aware of what took place, it didn’t seem he was
in shock, necessarily. It seems through this initiation process he is finally
realizing entirely what he has signed up for. Lil Mago sits with him afterward
and explains how it’s normal to feel this way after the first time. For all I
know it could be that he murdered somebody, but at the same time I can’t
imagine that is the first time Smiley has experienced something like that where
he lives and what surrounds him. I felt this scene was so powerful because
Smiley is realizing that this what is life is going to be all about. At this
young age it is decided and there will be no other way out.
I hated that entire scene where they gang banged Smiley in order for initiation for the gang. That entire time I was confused at Willy at the same time hating on the entire rest of the gang for Willy didn't seem like he wanted to, while the rest of the gang members just blindly followed Li Mago. Just Li Mago for me was the most least favorite character and I was super happy when he died. -Adham Hessen
ReplyDeleteKyle,
ReplyDeleteI like your analysis bit think you could have emphasized more on certain aspects that you brought up. For instance, you mention how Lil Mago was holding a baby (presumably his own) while threatening the rival gang member. The rival gang member mentions how he has a family, something which is hugely played upon and discussed in the film, yet Lil Mago still insists on killing him. Obviously Lil Mago has a family too, yet he fails to express so (other than having the baby) and it is more or less implied. If Lil Mago was in the rival gang members situation, do you think he would have begged for his life in order to be with his family (family including REAL family and gang family), or been what this film considers a man about it and toughed his way through the situation?
You highlighted some good details of the initiation process but I think there could've been more insight, I guess, provided of those elements. I actually disagree that Willy was seemingly unaffected by part deux of Smiley's initiation process, where you considered it "nothing more then just another day on the job". Given his facial expression in that scene, apparently there was expressed disapproval; I think he portrayed this silently rebellious disposition throughout the movie, or at least up to the scene where he sliced Lil' Mago.
ReplyDeleteKyle—
ReplyDeleteI also had a hard time extracting the significance you were trying to communicate here. I understood the general outline of the scene well enough, but I agree that you could have elaborated a bit more about how you interpreted the actions that took place in the scenes you mentioned. I did somewhat pick up on the connection you were attempting to make between the presence of Lil Mago's infant son in the scene and the rival gang member attempting to play the baby's presence to his advantage (in that he mentions having a family as an attempt to appeal to what he perceives as a possible soft spot/weakness in Lil Mago's figurative armor). I also felt that it was possible that Lil Mago's character kept his infant son with him in that particular scene to demonstrate to Smiley his unflinching "morale." Additionally, I also disagree that Casper views the murder of this rival gang member as "nothing more than just another day on the job." In fact, I felt the entire course of the rest of his role in the film stands in stark contrast to that assumption.