Predictable yet OK movie that merges two different stories of survival.

One part of the narrative deals with the familiar story of rival gang life. El Casper/Willy (Edgar Flores) is a gang member who views his life as one of living day-to-day with the chance of being wiped out by a rival gang or even by a member of his own gang. He can see the gang culture he’s involved in for what it is. Willy has to creep around to see his girlfriend as is frightened of her being involved in the life he leads.

For 12 year-old Smiley, who has just recently been initiated into the gang, it’s a different story. He is wide eyed and impressionable as he tries to impress the other gang members with his ‘grown up toughness’. And so while Willy may daydream of a way out of the gang Smiley is desperate to be part of it. There’s a nice scene where Smiley is bragging how he is going to kill someone. He is surrounded by a group of kids his age and he is smiling and playing around with a gun like a little kid which of course he is.

The other major part of the movie deals with a Honduran family as they attempt a risky long distance train journey to try to make it to America. Teenager Sayra (Paulina Gaitan) provide the central focus of the family.

Stories focusing on gang culture are nothing new but train ride movies of this kind are. Highlighting the real life plight of many immigrants adds a real human tragic dimension.

Personally, I think the movie could have benefited by being more stylistic especially in terms of a more compelling score and the acting did feel laboured at times. Saying that it’s still a watchable movie.