THE DESERT WITHIN

Directed By: Rodrigo Pla

Review By: Kim Jindra

THE DESERT WITHIN opens with Mexican priests fleeing underground to escape execution by the federales when the Catholic Church is banned in 1926. 

But, Elias puts a priest in mortal danger when he forces the priest to journey to his farm to bless the unborn child of his dying wife. Elias hopes the blessing will ease his wife's mind.  Of course, the priest is discovered and jailed.  When Elias visits the imprisoned priest to ask forgiveness, the priest scoffs.  He tells Elias that his sin is great and he must prove his worth to God.  The priest is soon executed along with Aureliano, Elias' oldest son.  Elias also has a rift with his mother about contraband rifles.   In a fit of anger, she banishes him from her life.

So, Elias packs his family, including the bodies of his dead wife and son, into a wagon and moves them desert.  There he starts a cemetery and begins to build a church to glorify God to show he is truly repentant.  Time passes and the children grow up.  They are totally isolated.  Elias leaves occasionally on errands but the children stay behind.  They complete the church and wait for a sign Elias has been forgiven. 

The signs that eventually come create chaos and the Elias' new world slowly falls apart.

I applaud any film that criticizes blind obedience especially when it comes to fundamentalist religious practices.  But this was a plodding melodramatic "masterpiece".  It could have used a rewrite.