Camino (2015) User Reviews (16)

Bellzoon, dame of the jungle ... food for thought :)

[peterp-450-298716 · 4/10 · 18 May 2016]

"The spiral is death."

I had no idea who Zoë Bell really was. Afterwards she appears to be a famous stunt woman who has repeatedly demonstrated her skills in Quentin Tarantino movies. It's not the first time she acted in a movie. You can admire her in "Oblivion" and also in "The hateful Eight". This time, however, she got the main part. Unfortunately her character is too one-dimensional to judge her on her acting talent. Substantively it's of the same level as a role played by Gina Carano. After seeing some impressive fight scenes I knew she's one hell of a stunt woman. Sadly enough these scenes were sometimes unrealistic, when you take her character into account.

Avery (Zoe Bell) is a well-respected war photographer who, after receiving an award, is promptly planted on an aircraft by her editor. The destination is Columbia where she can make a photo shoot of a paramilitary group, led by the charismatic revolutionary Guillermo (Nacho Vigalondo). They act like local pharmacists in the Colombian jungles. In reality, Guillermo is nothing more than a crazy psychopath who's using this sacred mission as a cover up for his own criminal activities. When Avery makes some compromising photographs of a murderous Guillermo, he succeeds in convincing his crew that the foreign photographer is the culprit. And that's the beginning of a hunt through the jungle with Avery as a prey.

Until the first encounter with one of Guillermo's freedom fighters, this film seemed promising. After the obligatory introduction, you will see beautiful images of the vast jungle. A wonderful mix of images of a subtropical jungle and stylistic black and white photographs. Even the sometimes exaggerated speeches of Guillermo were acceptable up to a certain level. But when Avery becomes a Rambo-like guerrilla fighter, who can defend herself excellent on unknown territory, the film lost a lot of credibility. I am sure Zoë Bell can stand her ground as a stunt woman. But when the person Avery, who's a grim war photographer, turns into a talented person who excels in close combat, knows how to use an automatic rifle and uses tactical combat strategies, that's a bridge too far. In reality, she wouldn't even survive her first clash with the lunatic Alejo (Tenoch Huerta).

I was hoping this would be a brooding, exciting thriller. But in the end I only got to see a typical survival film. It made me think of "Predator" sometimes, but now without an alien. Guillermo's followers are being released one by one to hunt their victim. It's just waiting for the ultimate clash (with a ridiculous outcome) to present itself. The only downside about this taking place in the jungle, is the fact that it's mostly dark. This makes it sometimes really difficult to follow the action. The performances are proportionate to the level of the film itself. But I need to say there's one thing that really got my attention. The soundtrack. The musical accompaniment is usually not something I pay attention to, but this time I was surprised by the ominous music full of unusual sounds. Ominous during critical moments and mysterious in between. For me, the creator of this soundtrack is the true star of this movie.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

The Columbian Hunger Games

[danielharden · 5/10 · 11 September 2016]

SPOILER ALERT, "Down in the Jungle where Nobody goes, there's a missionary leader slitting a boys throat..." Like the film I'm reviewing, that took a dark turn but at the same time it hopefully gained a reaction out of you. Camino is the story of award winning journalist Avery, played by Tarrantio's favourite stunt woman, Zoe Bell, as she battles both mind and body to survive in the Columbian Jungle, this follows after she initially takes on a photography job following a group of missionaries lead by an eccentric psychopath.

Zoe Bell does a good job in this film bringing emotion to her role as well as pain that only a stunt person could make look so real. She is the star of this film and plays the tough bitch role pretty well. This film is like a vehicle in an attempt to push her into acting more than just Stunts.

There are some rather well shot sequences such as the editing and use of black and white camera stills which should have been used more throughout the film. These short instances are what stood out to me but the overall amount of use isn't enough to make this film stand out over other films such as Peter Bergs Spoiler ridden title Lone Survivor for example. This film is a standard survival movie similar to, as my title suggests, the first Hunger Games movie, as, SPOILER ALERT, Katniss and Avery find themselves in similar situations.

SPOILER ALERT, OK now I didn't get the Husband back story at all with this film. What was the point? Why was it relevant? Maybe the intention was to layer Avery's character and make her more relatable or likable, but it doesn't work because, even though Zoe Bell does a good job as the tough bitch, she isn't particularly likable. To me the Husband backstory and visions of him in the woods showed her going crazy and being in a bad way mentally buts still fighting for survival in her head as well as with her fists. If I'm right then I get it but still it never really goes anywhere in the film and still feels a little irrelevant due to its lack of resolution.

One other moment which I completely didn't get was Alejo suddenly not being dead. I have no idea what happened but the first life Avery claimed all of a sudden was alive and well... Well until he got shot in the head by Guillermo. This moment made absolutely no sense and really just left me scratching my head as to wtf was going on.

Overall, Camino is a standard survival film which acts as a vehicle for star Zoe Bell, and also has a couple of weird moments with questionable relevance. It's alright, nothing to really recommend or rave about. Watch the film if you are curious maybe, but all in all the film is OK and follows the survivor film formula. So if you like that then give it a watch.

A well made and underrated thriller!

[jamiedarlow-37510 · 6/10 · 15 February 2020]

If you're after a suspenseful thriller with a dark and vicious backbone to it, I'd thoroughly recommend this one! The story follows Avery (the wonderful Zoe Bell) an acclaimed photojournalist who is sent to document a few days in the life of a missionary group led by Guillermo (played ferociously by Nacho Vigalondo) and she soon captures something that we was not supposed to see. It seems to be a passion project for Zoe Bell (who also is executive producer of the film) and she really does give her all here; a thoroughly engaging screen actor who was before most well known for her brilliant stunt work as Xena The Warrior Princess and Uma Thurman's stunt double as the Bride in the Kill Bill movies. Since her amazing role in Death Proof (2007) she has gone on to feature in more starring focused roles in such films as the fantastic Whip It (2010) and is a very underrated talent as showcased in Camino. Everyone else also act really well in this film; particularly Vigalondo who is great at presenting a ruthless man who can still work his charm on those around him (a monologue he delivers at one point in the film is really powerful) The music in the film, composed by Pepjin Caudron AKA Kreng, is perhaps the most key component in the mood and tension of the film; a shrieking, thumping soundtrack that slams the audience in the face in the more hard to watch scenes in the film. The hard to watch parts may disturb some viewers and what surprised me most about this film is that it doesn't hold back on the violence (certainly not for the squeamish) and some disturbing imagery (the most important photograph of the story stayed with me a little while after)

Very poor

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 13 December 2018]

CAMINO is a very poor survival thriller made on an indie budget and starring non-actress and stuntwoman Zoe Bell. She plays a war photographer who treks into the Columbian jungle with a paramilitary group before becoming a witness to a terrible event. A manhunt then ensues. This is the kind of film that plays out with no suspense or tension whatsoever, just a lot of overdirection in a bid to cover up the problems. Bell gives no performance of note and merely exists to be constantly battered, bruised and thrown about. The bad guys are stock generic types and there's very little incident stretched out over a long running time, making this very boring indeed.

Almost all on it is wrong...

[ricpue · 1/10 · 26 May 2016]

Typical "bad guy" (Nacho) chasing a victim (Zoe Bell) but this time in the jungle. The screen-player or screenwriters of this movie tried to mix the heroic Rambo like skilled photographer with both drugs and violence stereotypical of Colombia. The story is quite poor in content and reality, over-posted loud sounds on violent scenes, guerrilla speaking in English or on Mexican-Spanish even they called Nacho "guero" word that doesn't exist in South-America. Decent photography and OK acting.

We are not garbage collectors as Herzog would say... where are the good filmmakers then?

Camino - no - no - no

[specialuse117 · 1/10 · 27 May 2016]

Who did Zoe Bell sleep with to launch this turkey? Film was nice to look at and even the acting was decent (barely decent), but read lips so you can mute the destructive annoying soundtrack. Maybe the worst I have ever heard. Plot was ridiculous, basically the brave photo journalist becomes Rambo (but Stallone show much more acting chops). The supporting cast look confused and most of the time were just stereotypes. The rantings of Nacho seemed to go on forever without any purpose. The opening scene in the bar was about the most pathetic attempt at character development I have seen recently. Stay away from this loser.

A pretty solid, underrated survival thriller

[chao_dai · 7/10 · 7 July 2016]

As I'm writing this, Camino has a score of 4.8, which is an excessively low score. I've actually noticed a trend on IMDb where a lot of films are given extremely poor ratings when they're just not that bad and Camino is definitely one of these films. It's unfortunate because I know some people will watch or not watch a film based on the IMDb score, which means a lot of good or decent movies are probably being missed out on.

A lot of other reviewers are complaining of bad acting, but I can only assume they are exaggerating or just haven't watched a wide range of films. The acting is not "bad" - it's not necessarily award-winning stuff, but it's certainly not bad. Usually, if I'm watching a film with bad acting, I find it difficult to get into as I can't become absorbed in it and am constantly aware that I'm watching (bad) actors, but that never happened once to me while watching Camino. I think Zoe Bell is actually very impressive for a stunt-woman-turned- actress.

Also, do not skip the first ten minutes of the film as another reviewer said, it is relevant to the film and what happens during the first ten minutes helps to make sense of another scene that happens around midway through the film.

The only thing I would criticize is that Zoe Bell's character seems a little too skilled in combat for a photojournalist going up against militia members who've presumably had experience in guerilla warfare. It's saved, though, by the fact that most of the fighting lacks any crazy martial arts moves on Zoe Bell's part and instead sticks to dirty, survival style fighting, maintaining an element of realism.

Overall, I think this movie is pretty solid and I've definitely seen a lot worse.

And OK film ... but the intro?

[pahi58 · 10 March 2016]

I like Zoe so was more than willing to be entertained, but the Directors vision lets the story down. The lame 'introduction' for example; wft? Do yourself a favor and Fast Forward thru the first 10 minutes of 'Character development' because its a disaster and imho counter-productive and damaging to the film overall. Nothing in that first 10 minutes creates any empathy or positive connection to the character.

Seriously,the first 10 minutes are a waste of time and would have been best left on the cutting room floor. The opening Credits begin at the 10:00minute mark, start there and the experience will be greatly improved.

All life is a journey to the center

[nogodnomasters · 5/10 · 25 March 2018]

In 1985, Avery (Zoë Bell) is an award winning photojournalist whose personal life appears to be a mess from what little we see. She accepts an assignment filming rebels in Columbia. The army consists of about 6 people lead by a general...just go with it. After 30 minutes, the film hits a boredom factor, then an incident happens where Avery becomes hunted by the rebels she was filming. Zoe must use everything but her feminine charms to survive, although some background on her survival skills, other than one workout, would have been good.

Like so most action films, it doesn't deviate from successful formulas and can't develop a good twist. I am sure Zoe bell fans who like to see her bloody and beat up will love the film, but her physical fighting skills were left mostly on the table, i..e. had they been developed earlier, in just one scene, they could of had her do more exciting stuff other than lay on the ground and get beat and her head banged against rocks.

Guide: F-word. Near Rape. No nudity.

Theme spoiler: There is a running dialogue about the spiral. In ancient times the spiral or maze represented the umbilical cord and motherhood, i.e. life. In this film it represents our common journey to the center, which is death. Hence the title CAMINO. Clearly the theme was deeper and better thought out than the plot.

Exciting and well done

[whidbeydanielg · 7/10 · 28 May 2016]

This is a film about a photojournalist who gets in over her head.

Zoe Bell does a great job with the role, and the supporting cast is excellent.

It is exciting, fun, and tense. The scenery is beautiful.

It is sweet to see a female action figure who actually looks like she could do it. Bell is a stunt double, who looks like she could take down a lot of men. She is athletic and quick.

She also happens to be a good actress.

Want a fun evening with a movie that won't make you think or leave you feeling bad? This one is a good bet. My wife and I both enjoyed it, and we are not enamored with just any old movie.

Very weak writing undermines what should have been a dark action-thriller

[I_Ailurophile · 5/10 · 18 November 2023]

Zoë Bell's skill as a stunt performer is indisputable, and she has demonstrated fine capability as an actor, too. I'm not expressly familiar with filmmaker Josh C. Waller or writer Daniel Noah, but in the very least both have some significant credits to their names as producers, and while it wasn't perfect I very much enjoyed Waller's previous feature 'Raze,' also starring Bell. The premise sounds very promising; in addition to some fine cinematography from Noah Greenberg, the instances of still photography that we see at select points are a sight for sore eyes, too. As the narrative picks up Kreng's original score, harsh and discordant, lends considerable ambience to the proceedings, and the sound design and fundamental image are both crisp and vivid. The stunts, effects, fight choreography, and action sequences at large are outstanding; the cast give admirable performances. From costume design, hair, and makeup, to filming locations and sets, all the basics of the picture are splendid, and 'Camino' can boast high production values among the best of contemporary fare. If you want an action thriller, you've got it, and overall it's solid, including firm direction.

"Solid," however, does not necessarily mean flawless, and with all due respect to Noah, the screenplay is without question the Achilles heel of this movie. The major shifts in the story - that beat around the half-hour mark that distinctly kicks off the action, and the later beat around the one-hour mark wherein supporting characters gain a clear picture of the situation - are weak and unconvincing, plot points written in outline form without the supporting narrative structure at any time to help them feel sensible. Characters are very poorly written and make choices that are utterly flummoxing, including even protagonist Avery; too much of the dialogue is outright rubbish, to say nothing of discrete, baffling decisions as to how Spanish and English are used. Even action sequences are flimsily inserted, providing a shower of sparks at irregular intervals with their violence but not being meaningfully and cohesively written into the course of events. The overall story is ultimately so light that it kind of feels unfinished, as if we're not really getting a complete saga. For example, there are mild suggestions at times of a psychological element, and 'Camino' could have been the corruption of a photojournalist who by necessity of survival becomes a killer; there are sideways intimations of something supernatural at work, or at least unnatural or mystical, and this angle could have been latched onto more concretely. There are also themes on hand that could have been explored more, including not least the perception of a moral grey area. Yet from beginning to end, in the plot ideas that we do get and in the scene writing, in the antagonist's "motivations" and in the specific experiences of our protagonist along the way, the writing instead comes off as an ill-considered, dubious jumble of half-baked, ill-fitting notions. There are good ideas here, certainly, but the form that they take individually and in combination simply do not make for a cogent, compelling viewing experience.

There really is a great deal to appreciate here, with terrific craftsmanship across the board, sharp action, and story ideas that could and should have been molded into something dark and gripping. Sadly, the film really just flounders when it comes to the particular shape that the screenplay takes: an excess of exposition, a chintzy ending, a massive info dump in the last stretch to explain all, and all-around choices that are irritating, tiresome, and/or perplexing. I see what 'Camino' could have been, and I don't for one moment doubt the earnestness of anyone's contributions. I don't doubt anyone's capabilities, either - save for Noah, unfortunately, whose writing in this instance leaves much to be desired. I'm glad for those who get more out of this than I do, and enjoy it more; I see strengths that are overshadowed by faults, and those faults rest entirely on the shoulders of one person. I feel bad being so critical, but we do no one any favors by giving false praise. I don't altogether dislike this flick, but it's no more than half of what it might have been. Watch if you like - it's best suggested for those who are major fans of Bell or someone else involved - but I think this needed a significant overhaul to meet its full potential.

Excellent show

[kathyjo3918 · 8/10 · 29 July 2021]

Loved this movie. Lately I struggle finding movies with depth, character, quality and not just violence, drugs and porn. This movie reminded me how important journalism is to the oppressed and broken. They go to wars with cameras not guns showing truth not opinion removing self, chancing death, seeing so much pain and carnage! Watch this movie it is up there with the best I've seen in awhile!!

GOOD DIRECTION, MUCH LESS SCREENPLAY

[giuliodamicone · 5/10 · 19 January 2023]

Good versus bad, actually very bad. A journalist, sent to South America for a photographic reportage, in the middle of the forest meets (or rather collides) with the leader of the rebels, a bad guy capable of killing children. The film consists of a series of chases, up to the just conviction of the offender. The protagonist is neither beautiful nor nice, while her antagonist suffers from logorrhea (every time he opens her mouth we can't wait for him to finish speaking). The scenes of violence, in addition to being too brutal, are doubly unlikely: first of all because she reveals that she is a fierce fighter without us knowing why; and secondly because a person so affected and also injured would not have been able to survive, or at least continue. Finally, the final scene (the editor-in-chief who insists that she stay) is false: why is she giving up a secure profession? It's not explained. The ending with the close-up of her turning around with an ironic quip is unbearable.

surviving story

[Kirpianuscus · 30 July 2022]

Zoe Bell and the Colombian jungle. A story about truth and apparences, a courageous and brave at whole photojournalist, a picture as seed of hunt against her from a psychopath fake missionary.

In essence , a collection of drawings - religious, social, politic, nostalgic. Beautiful, no doubts, but in a special manner because it seems a webb for a too large target.

Zoe Bell , against feminist sparkles , unrealism of resistence and not the most inspired final is just admirable as Avery. And, in fact, this real matters.

Randomly watched this on netflix....

[brandonbray-35698 · 8/10 · 30 July 2020]

Awhile ago and I must say I really enjoyed it. It's in my top 5 Zoe bell movies. I don't know why it gets so much hate. It's a gem. and she's good in it. Guess just not everyone's cup of tea

Quite impressed and enthralled

[pjhoyles · 9/10 · 12 June 2017]

Other reviewers have described the story of this film, so I won't repeat. Suffice it to say, for me, all aspects of this film drew me in and the tension built up and the whole thing drew me into it. Our star, Avery (Zoe Bell) actually handled her camera and shooting quite well, aided by great photography by the movie cameraman and black and white freeze-frames to give us the pictures she took. This was charming. Then she takes posed pictures of the team that she is following and the flash goes off unexpectedly. This would not happen in real life, you would hear the flash charging whine first, but we will ride through this because it was important later on, that the flash should go off unexpectedly at a very bad time and so change the whole temperament of the film and the gnawing tension of a chase that followed. I kept wanting Avery (Bell) to strike some big moves in her fighting, but it became clear that she was true to her character, that she was really a photographer put in a life-or-death situation and had to fight the best way she could, and she had not trained secretly as some marshal-arts champ. Fine, she took an awful beating several times, but she came out the winner, however reluctantly she was forced to fight. The chases through the jungle were very well filmed and kept me on the edge of my seat. No joking, it must have been an incredible effort to actually film all of that in tropical jungle, mountains and rivers and waterfalls and still get exciting shots and angles that forced the action forward. Nacho Vigalondo as Guillermo, the leader of the group, was very believable and did not let us down as some debauched war monger but he gave us a stirring performance, a beautiful monologue and an understandable character who had to do what he had to do. On the other hand, I am still not sure how Alejo (Tenoch Huerta) could have come back from the dead in the last part of the film, not sure whether it was meant to all be in Avery's mind as a hallucination, or not, but it was exciting. On the whole, I felt this film was believable, exciting, dangerous, in glorious tropical jungle, well photographed and portrayed under what must have been difficult circumstances. All actors gave us believable characters. Great entertainment. What more can you want?