Mercury Plains

Plot

Mitch Davis, unhappy with his life and seeing no prospects for work, leaves with a friend for a trip to Mexico. After getting a prostitute a bar, Mitch's friend leaves without paying. When Mitch refuses to pay his friend's debt to the pimp, he is beaten and robbed. Another American, Jesse, buys him a meal. As they talk, Jesse offers him a job for a man known as the Captain, an American veteran who runs a paramilitary vigilante group that targets the Mexican cartels. Mitch answers noncommittally and listens to the Captain's recruitment speech. The Captain, recognizing his ordinary speech that emphasizes glory and power will not appeal to Mitch, flatly offers him $5000. Mitch at first declines but reconsiders after the Captain points out that anyone who comes to Mexico on a lark must be leaving behind an even worse situation than what he offers.

At the Captain's compound, Mitch meets Camarillo, the Captain's second in command; Alyssa, the Captain's girlfriend; Paul, a surly skinhead; Benito, a young Mexican thief; and several other young recruits, including the Captain's teenage son, Jack. The Captain's first job has then build a ditch. When Benito is bitten by a scorpion, Mitch protests when Camarillo forces him back to work. Camarillo orders Paul to beat Mitch. When Mitch turns out to be a competent fighter, Camarillo knocks him out with a Taser. Mitch wakes in a thick wooden box, where he is given limited rations. After being stuck there for a day, Mitch escapes by knocking loose a hinged slot and using it to dig a tunnel. Impressed with his ingenuity, the Captain allows him to rejoin the others as they eat. Mitch also impresses Alyssa, who flirts with him when the Captain is not around. The two later have sex.

Speaking privately with Mitch, the Captain says Mitch has become his favorite recruit, as Mitch reminds the Captain of himself. The Captain explains his philosophy: lawlessness allows common men to become great, though they must then combat the lawlessness to retain their power. The Captain point blank asks Mitch if he is having sex with Alyssa, which Mitch denies, satisfying the Captain. Their first mission is to rob a drug runner named Brad. After kidnapping him, they find no drugs on Brad, and Paul accidentally shoots Brad when he resists. Mitch insists they take Brad with them, but Camarillo orders them to leave him behind. Before they leave, Benito steals Brad's expensive shirt. When they get back to the compound, Benito has Mitch read a letter he found in the shirt. In it, Brad's parents tell him they love him and support any decision he makes about staying in Mexico.

With the money stolen from Brad's credit cards, they purchase more guns. Dressed as FBI agents, they stop a cartel car and attempt to restrain them. When the cartel men become suspicious, a gunfight ensues, causing Jesse's death. The next hit turns out to be federal police officers. Mitch tries to abort the mission, but the others continue. Paul is killed in the resulting fight, but Mitch recovers a suitcase full of cash from the federales' car. Shortly after they return to the compound, the police raid it. Mitch, the Captain, and Camarillo escape in a car together. When Camarillo later reads them a Mexican newspaper, the Captain learns Jack died during the fight, and he deduces Benito was a police informer. They pick up Benito, drive to a secluded area, and the Captain drags Benito out of the car. Mitch at first does nothing, but then strangles Camarillo. After helplessly watching the Captain kill Benito, Mitch flees with the money.

The two men wound each other, after a long chase, the Captain finally catches up to Mitch, who has crossed most of a desert on foot. Further elucidating on his philosophy, the Captain says war is like love and allows men to express themselves. As he prepares to kill Mitch, Mitch surprises him with a small, single-shot pistol favored by Benito. After killing the Captain, Mitch returns to the city, buys new clothes to replace his bloody and torn rags, and visits Brad's parents. He secretly leaves them the money stolen from the federales.

Cast

Reception

John Noonan of Filmink called it "a rather cold and sluggish watch". Though Noonan complimented Chinlund, who he said was reminiscent of Dennis Hopper and Ed Harris, Noonan said Eastwood was forced to mimic his father's style too much. Writing at DVD Talk, Tyler Foster rated it 3.5/5 stars and called it "generally well-made" film with a good performance from Eastwood.