Name: There Are No Saints
Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
Released: 2022-05-27T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: José María Yázpik, Shannyn Sossamon, Tommy Flanagan, Ron Perlman, Karla Souza

The opening shot of There Are No Saints is a brutal, unflinching close-up of José María Yázpik’s face as his character, Neto Niente—aka “the Jesuit”—takes a punishing blow. It’s a visceral introduction to a film that doesn’t shy away from violence, but this early promise of grit and intensity quickly devolves into a messy, uninspired action thriller.

Directed by Alfonso Pineda Ulloa and written by Paul Schrader, There Are No Saints follows Neto Niente, a gang enforcer wrongly imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. When his ex-wife is murdered and his son kidnapped, he teams up with a stripper named Inez (Shannyn Sossamon) to rescue his child and seek revenge. The premise has potential, but the execution falls flat.

What works in There Are No Saints is its commitment to a gritty aesthetic. The film’s production design and cinematography embrace a seedy, exploitation-style look that feels authentic to its Mexican underworld setting. The action sequences are brutal and well-choreographed, with Yázpik delivering a physically demanding performance. Paz Vega also stands out as Nadia, a complex figure caught between loyalty and self-preservation.

However, the film’s narrative is riddled with generic tropes and predictable plot points. Schrader’s script relies too heavily on familiar revenge thriller conventions, and the story struggles to differentiate itself from other films in the genre. The pacing is uneven, with long stretches of exposition and slow-burn tension that fail to build suspense effectively.

The performances are a mixed bag. Yázpik is compelling in his physicality and intensity, but his character lacks depth, making it difficult to invest in his emotional journey. Sossamon’s Inez is underdeveloped, reducing her role to little more than a sidekick with occasional moments of bravado. Ron Perlman and Tim Roth add some gravitas to their supporting roles, but they’re not given enough screen time to make a significant impact.

One of the film’s few original elements is its exploration of moral ambiguity, particularly in the relationship between Neto Niente and Inez. Their dynamic is intriguing, but it’s not fully realized due to the script’s reliance on clichéd dialogue and scenarios. The film also tries to tackle themes of redemption and justice, but these ideas are superficial and never explored with the nuance they deserve.

There Are No Saints suffers from a lack of cohesion and focus. The narrative meanders without clear direction, and the film’s third act descends into chaos, undermining any tension or emotional investment built up earlier. The final showdown is a disjointed mess, relying on over-the-top action rather than meaningful character development or thematic payoff.

In the end, There Are No Saints is a disappointing misfire. It has moments of gritty intensity and strong performances from its lead actors, but these are overshadowed by a derivative script, uneven pacing, and a lack of originality.