Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Just what I expected

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The first hour of the movie was adequate entertainment, but then the chain snapped somewhere and the movie just went astray, and I was finding my attention starting to slip away.There were some interesting aspects to the story, for sure. The obvious one being a walled-in rich area in an otherwise rundown city, and the fact that there was a massive social difference between those within and outside the wall of La Zona (The Zone). And the aspect of difference between laws between the two was also interesting, as outside The Zone ordinary police were the law, and inside The Zone local guards were the law.Storywise "La Zona" started out quite okay, but it never really took hold and never really turned into something overly impressive. And as mentioned above, then it totally lost its bearing after about an hour.The acting was adequate, but nothing extraordinary though. At least I didn't take notice of anyone in particular."La Zona" is a mediocre entertaining movie. But not being overly familiar with Mexican cinema, I can't say whether or not this movie is an overall representation of mediocrity there.

Uruguayan screenwriter, producer and director Rodrigo Plá's feature film debut which he co-produced and which was written by screenwriter Laura Santullo, was screened in the Venice Days section at the 64th Venice Film Festival in 2007, in the Discovery section at the 32nd Toronto International Film Festival in 2007, was shot on locations in Mexico and is a Mexico-Spain co-production which was produced by Spanish producer and director Alvaro Longoria. It tells the story about a student named Alejandro who lives in a restricted area with his mother and father which is made for the wealthiest people to protect them from the not so wealthy people who lives in Mexico City. Distinctly and finely directed by Latin-American filmmaker Rodrigo Plá, this finely paced fictional tale which is narrated from multiple viewpoints draws a gripping portrayal of how a segregated society acts when someone from the other side of the fences that shields them from the unwanted enters their community. While notable for it's naturalistic milieu depictions, sterling production design by production designer and art director Antonio Muño-Hierro, cinematography by cinematographer Emiliano Villanueva and use of sound, this narrative-driven story where class distinctions are remarkably evident depicts an empathic study of character and contains a good score by composer Fernando Velazquez.This socio-political and atmospheric thriller from the late 2000s where a young man gradually learns the true nature of the society he has been raised in and how far they are willing to go to preserve their self-made and idealistic aristocracy, is impelled and reinforced by it's cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, esoteric characters and the fine acting performances by Mexican actor Daniel Tovar, Spanish actor Daniel Giménez Cacho, Mexican actress Marina de Tavira and Spanish actor Carlos Bardem. A conversational, incisive and consistently intriguing drama which gained, among numerous other awards, the FIPRESCI Prize at the 32nd Toronto Film Festival in 2007.

There is nothing wrong with the synopsis, the "gated community" - dilemma could be delivered with a twist like this, no doubt. But the problem is how it is executed.There is not one character here with any kind of depth whatsoever. Its all one-dimensional cardboard-pieces responding to some really incoherent twists of the plot.The dialogue is embarrassingly bad sometimes and the actors fight to get some kind of guidance in their performances. The story kind of wants to be both drama and suspense-thriller but fails on both parts.Not that a drama cant be in the vein of a thriller and vice versa. (Check out Buenos Aires 1977 for some chilling thrills and high drama.)The stage is great though. The scenes of the clean cut streets clashing with the outside slums is alone thought-provoking. And the watchful eye of the surveillance-camera is perhaps tiresome by now but never the less effective here. But thats hardly a reason to spend time and money on this shoddy piece.

The premise is very good, all the more so as it describes a situation becoming more and more explosive of our days. Certainly we'll see more movies of the kind in the years to come.Personally I think that the POV of poor teens trapped into La Zona would have been more interesting, at least from a suspense and action point of view. Following a rich teen dislocates such suspense, plus it means you have to take an interest in a kid who's not the subject of the movie. On the other hand the focus on the private militia of citizens is interesting, yet I'm still a bit unsatisfied.So, the movie is pretty good, it is a nicely rounded up excellent premise but it could have been much better. As such you don't get out of the theater moved. Emotion, as suspense, is too much diluted into a narration that changes angles too often instead of building up the tension with a limited number of protagonists tied together.