Boricua's Bond (2000) User Reviews

Slice of life S. Bronx drama

[mixer116 · 5/10 · 22 June 2000]

Realistic and richly layered, yet somewhat flawed, `Boricua's Bond' is a slice of life drama about street life in the South Bronx. Some great performances by non-pro neighborhood kids (the standout being street thug Axel, the film's roly-poly comic relief, who strips naked whenever the mood strikes), and cool cameos from the likes of rappers Treach, Method Man and Redman. An impressive first feature debut from writer, director, co-producer AND co-star Val Lik, who apparently grew up on these mean streets and decided to make a movie about them instead of becoming another casualty of them.

Artistic View

[elopez0301 · 5/10 · 2 March 2005]

Yo this movie, from an actors standpoint. I thought it was actually not bad if you look at the camera angles. It is a movie that is real, not fake like all other Hollywood movies. Some may not like it because it is not Hollywood. It is a movie that is too much real life to be appreciated. I read that the fat guy that got naked was disturbing. Come on, how classic was that. Everyone that has grown up in NY has a friend like that. All us NYorkers do. That is what makes us so unique. This movie may have had bad reviews because no one outside of NY really understands what goes on inside the borough's. If you knock this movie, you must be from outside of NY. Anyone who doesn't see the artistic value of this movie is foolish.

TERRIBLE DEPICTION OF LATINOS AS SAVAGES

[screenryter · 18 April 2004]

I absolutely hated this movie. First there were hardly any Boricua's in the film. The story was, wait, what story? It was worst than a student film. I think the director got into some money, got some singers and rappers to be in the film and then shot random scenes, not necessarily caring whether the end result would make sense or not. Don't get fooled by Big Pun appearing on the movie poster. He is in the movie a total of about five minutes and that's only because the brilliant (can you sense my sarcasm) director used the same part of Big Pun in the beginning and then again in the end. Director,(hmmm. does he even deserve that title? uhhh, NO) at any rate, Val Lik went on to create a film where every negative stereotype about latinos were blatantly perpetuated. The movie absolutely disgusts me and it will go down as the worst movie I have seen to date.

Horrible!

[Johnny0581 · 1/10 · 29 March 2012]

How do I start? I decided to give this movie a chance expecting to see a movie depicting the positive and negative aspects of the South Bronx, but all I saw was the negatives all the way. Almost every single character in this film is a lowlife, with the exception of Tommy, Allen and Rose. Tommy was supposed to be everyone's role model in the film, yet, most of the time he stood around and did nothing when his posse of low lives he so called "friends" did stupid and highly embarrassing things to other people. The heavy set guy taking off his clothes through half of the movie was supposed to be the comic relief, but I just found him obnoxious and not at all funny. Another major flaw of this film is its lack of story line. There is none, whatsoever. All we see for an hour and 35 minutes is the director showing almost every Puerto Rican and black in the film act like savages with absolutely no class or manners.

If this film was trying to be anything like past classics such as Boyz 'n the Hood, Do The Right Thing or Menace 2 Society, it failed miserably. At least those other films showed many other positive aspects of African-Americans and those films actually had a storyline and plot.

In the end, when this movie was over, I felt sick to my stomach of watching every single negative stereotype of Puerto Ricans in a single film. I don't even think the title is fitting. What is this bond that Boricuas share according to Val Lik anyway? A lifetime of violent behavior, promiscuous sex, irresponsibility, drugs? is that the bond? Where is the positive message? Please, do yourself a favor, especially if you're Puerto Rican. Stay away from this film, you will thank me later.

MOST NEGATIVE MOVIE FORMTHE COMMUNITY EVER!!!!

[dwfollett120 · 1/10 · 22 July 2018]

This was one of the most awful movies I've ever seen! What hurts the most were the nonstop offensive stereotypes of the Latino community that never ceased throughout the movie. There wasn't much of a plot, but what there was was offensive, women hating, racist & boring. A truly awful pitiful excuse for a movie. And worst of all, Big Pun, who appears in the movie for a moment, has one message, don't stay in school if it interferes with your dreams. Que mierda!

Like a Train Wreck

[big_lou75 · 1/10 · 30 October 2018]

I couldn't get past the first 10 minutes of this movie. Horrible acting, dialogue, camera work (almost made me dizzy). I switched to something else, but the only reason I would switch back was to see how much worse it got, like watching a train wreck or car accident happen before your very eyes.

This Movie Is Degrading to Puerto Ricans

[santurcedc · 1/10 · 17 July 2021]

I saw this movie several years ago and I forgot how horrible and degrading it is towards Puerto Ricans, particularly in the Bronx, New York. I am an Afro Puerto Rican born in East Harlem New York City. I attended and graduated from Georgetown University. I live in Washington, DC and most of the Puerto Ricans I associate with are college educated government professionals. Boricua's Bond is trash portraying Puerto Ricans as 'savages'. At least the current movie in 2021 'In the Heights' portray Dominicans and Puerto Ricans in a better light in Washington Heights Manhattan. Although many of the actors were not Dominican or Puerto Rican.

Interesting Indie feature

[AlbertV79 · 8/10 · 27 January 2004]

I watched this movie at 2:30 in the morning one night. I have to say, I was never one who really liked independent features, but I have to say as an American with Puerto Rican blood in him, I learned a lot of stories about how tough it is in the Bronx. Seeing this film gave me a chance to visualize what life can be like in the Bronx. I'm sure it's not all that bad, but even still, I felt director Val Lik did a pretty good job with his film debut and even playing the young Caucasian who is befriended by the PR crew. Although the only that made me feel uneasy was Axel constantly undressing. He's got issues. That, plus Frankie Negron portraying Tommy really well and Erika Torres looking good, I have to say, pretty good movie.

Meanest Streets

[jessewillis · 7/10 · 2 May 2001]

Interesting little film. The acting is atrocious, the "realistic" dialogue is stilted but the result rings true. We know the facts: Growing up in a slum is hard, racism is painful, people are mean to each other, but the words don't equal knowledge. This film translates that information into knowledge by demonstration. I was satisfied (not pleased) with the results and no doubt you'll be too.

Avoid it like the plague

[necrom33 · 15 September 2002]

I saw this movie one late night, and could only WISH I could get my time back. It's a hispanic version of Boyz n' The Hood, but they took out a few things like good acting, good dialogue, a plot... I understand that the actors (and I use the word loosely) are not pros, but once you see the movie, you'll understand why. Character development is nil, camerawork is atrocious. This film perpetrates everybody in this neighborhood as a thug, a whore or something of the type. Not ONE person in the movie shows any redeeming value, except the white boy, the reason for the 'plot' of this movie. Once you see this movie, and I'm sorry for you if you do, you'll understand my One Line Summary.

Authentic depiction of Nuyoraicans in South Bronx

[j_diddy411 · 9/10 · 10 June 2008]

I understand why sooo many people have written very negative comments about this film. It's because it totally puts a dirty mirror up to their faces. Coming from someone who's lived in the New York City area for most of his life I can tell you this is exactly what you see in the urban parts of the city and the people that inhabit them. And the folks trashing this film don't want you to see their dirty laundry. I understand Puerto Ricans are a very proud people and overreact when they suspect they may have been insulted. Remember the whole "Seinfeld" nonsense? But you can't hide the truth. Trust me. If you ever come to NYC and take a trip through their 'hoods you'll see what I'm talking about. This film keeps it real!!!

Why?

[bcacique · 22 February 2002]

This film seems like it was inspired by a bunch of guys that sat around in the Bronx drinkin' and smokin' and laughin' at each others jokes and putdowns, then figured, "we ought to make a movie about this". Although there were moments that worked (many of the amateurs gave relatively inspired performances), the movie basically send a negative message: that Blacks and Puerto Ricans are enemies (ignoring the fact that Puerto Ricans are a mulatto race). It also perpetuates the idea that Boricuas dream and aspire to be white. Simple minds are easily influenced by this kind of tripe. For example, joanna 9 writes in her review on this website that she's from P.R. and never lived in NY, but then goes on to say that blacks mistreat Puerto Ricans. What a genius. Finally, most of the blame for the negative portrayal of Blacks in this (and any other) film rests squarely on the shoulders of the Black "actors". There are no whites in blackface to blame anymore.

Very Accurate Movie

[januszlvii · 10/10 · 8 March 2020]

I know there are a lot of people who do not like this movie, but if you are from New York and actually know people like the movie shows, you will understand it, The message is the streets are rough and escaping them are even harder. It is very much like a film from 20 years earlier The Warriors ( but harsher). Spoilers ahead: One of is main characters is named Tommy (Frankie Negron), who is a leader and a great artist, but will not put in the effort to better himself. He likes a girl named Rose, Kaleena Justiniano), but he acts like he is entitled to be with her, instead of putting in the effort to win her. Rose is a very different character, she will be the one person to survive the South Bronx streets, because she is a Straight A student, and works hard not to be a statistic. There is one scene where a friend wants her to hang out, but she explains she has homework (she also does not sleep around with boys like others in the movie do). Rose is despised for this (especially by a girl named Christine (Erica Torres), and they have an all-time great "catfight" (which Rose loses)), She ends up with a white guy named Allen (Val Lik (who also directed)). How does he do it, he puts the effort into it by talking to her and getting to really know her, instead of acting like he is entitled to her. Another very accurate thing is the relationship between the local community and the police, it is not good ( including one officer is trying to rape Christine, who fights back and defeats the officer in a fight, but you know will end up in prison over it). Shortly after that the policeman is murdered by one of the teenagers. Pay attention attention to the final scenes where Tommy rips up a College Scholarship, while Rose goes to live with Allen and his mom ( they saved her from the beating by Christine), at the end you see Allen and Rose in Central Park and giving her a puppy. It is inferred that Rose no longer has a place in the community and even in her home ( even though her parents are never shown), because she chose Allen over Frankie and although she saw the officer attack Christine, she said nothing. It was basically self preservation over Christine ( that was the final straw leading to Christine attacking her). This goes into the film's title "Boriqua's Bond".Rose shattered the bond between her and the community while Frankie strengthened his. Of course, it is Rose who ends up the winner ( along with Allen), because together they will escape the South Bronx ( like you know Swan and Mercy will do in The Warriors) while Frankie and everyone else have no future, just like the other characters in Tge Warriors. Again a very accurate movie and highly recommended.

Horrible

[gravesp · 23 December 2003]

First off, I am an aspiring independent film director myself. When I had talked to consultants about my project, they told me never to write something that I didn't know anything about. Case and point, a Russian named Val Lik has decided to write and direct a film about Puerto Ricans, like myself, and failed miserably, because it's obvious he doesn't know what he's talking about.

This movie had little plot and I couldn't tell who the lead was from time to time. When reading the TV Guide review, it stated that a white kid was trying to survive in a Puerto Rican neighborhood. When I read the online review, it stated that a painter looked to do something better with his life besides crime and drugs and prostitution. So, what character are we supposed to follow? Not even Val Lik, who plays the white kid, knows who we are supposed to follow. It's completely fake.

Not to mention, Axel, an overweight Boricua, taking off his clothes any chance he gets to do so. If I had to see this kid's ass one more time, I was going to shoot myself. His little hijinx distract from the message that Val was attempting to convey. Why add a scene where Axel hitches a ride from the police? What good is that to the overall story?

Considering how weak his story was, he enlisted the help of hip-hoppers Big Pun, DMX, Method Man, Redman, and a few others, to try and earn him some credibility. It doesn't. Not to take anything away from any of these artists, but this outsider's look on Puerto Ricans in the inner city gives him no credibility and no chance of redemption in my eyes, regardless of who he casts in the film.

Better than I thought

[trev-89393 · 8/10 · 26 December 2021]

Not sure what type of camera they were shooting with, but a lot of scenes could've definitely used some more lighting. Overall, the storyline wasn't too bad. This was real life during 1998-99 (when the film was actually filmed) but released in 2000. The acting may be considered subpar but really these people were really just living, speaking & breathing their everyday life on camera.

What a film

[PapiSalsa060605 · 10/10 · 10 October 2005]

You know, I've read mixed statements about this movie, then I saw it to get my own opinion. It was a great movie, I enjoyed it. It definitely showed how life in certain areas in the Bronx, or any area in the city that was portrayed in the film. You really have to be from NYC to understand the movie. Granted, none of the featured hip hop artists didn't have big parts, but the movie had nothing really to do with them. It was about an artist having to choose what direction in life he takes. Maybe that's what many people who didn't like this movie didn't udnerstand. Every actor acted brilliantly, I wonder if or when the DVD came out or if it will come out, then when???

Only good for the catfight

[bajbij · 18 February 2002]

The catfight was the best, but more on that later. The movie as a whole is an inferior version of all those "in the hood" films made. There is no character development in the movie, no likeable person with the exception of the token white guy in the movie (and what does that say about a film concerning Puerto Ricans?) and virtually no plot. Some Rican's father gets shot by his brother and he goes on bitching about how he has no father. For guys like myself who have had their fathers abandon them, we elicit no pity for this character who cries for pity because his father was killed, yet the movie tells us we must pity him because of this and understand why he does crummy things because of this. The film also portrays Puerto Ricans in a bad light. I am a hispanic but not a Rican so this doesn't necessarily upset me, but having experienced what I have experienced, I can never feel any sympathy at all for these characters the film tries to heroize. They are dispicable, lude, and comfortable in their mediocrity. Not all Ricans are the way the film portrays them to be but all we see are the poor excerisizes of latinos the film says we must relate to. The film tries to be objective but there are moments that bog the story down. There are much better films about inner city hispanics that try to make a point and use objective storytelling. What is the point of this film? That lack of education is the root of all violence? BOYZ n THE HOOD, STAND AND DELIVER, and LEAN ON ME dealt with this better. This film was an excuse for one fat Puerto Rican to show his rear end and his full frontal alot in the film. I guess the director was trying to reach out to an potential homosexual audience.

As for the catfight, yes, there is a catfight at the end of the movie, one of the better catfights in American films. This is no chopsocky poor excuse for martial arts by women pretending to be civil rights fighters. These are just two women who hate each other, and throughout the film they have been teasing a fight between them. Well, the film doesn't disappoint on that and these two go at it, pulling hair, rolling on the concrete streets in hatred of each other. Women fighting the way they do in real life, not that Charlie's Angel's bull. I wanted to give this film a chance but it ended up leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

My comments are based on what I felt after I saw the movie.

[joanna_9 · 10/10 · 18 July 2001]

I saw Boricua's Bond one night at two o' clock in the morning with my litle brother. I live in Puerto Rico. I've never lived in New York, but my family is from there. That movie touched me because it presents the reality of puertorricans in the South Bronx. Not only black people treat them badly, police is abusive to them. This movie teaches a good lesson. It teaches us to be respectful, to be 100% puertorricans and that we have to stand for ourselves, because nobody is going to do it. We also have to love our families because when you are in bad times they're always there for you. Friendship is a very good thing, but you have to choose the right ones, not the ones that get you in trouble and then goes without caring about you.

this movie sucked

[jsalvian · 31 July 2001]

this movie was so terrible words can't even describe how stupid I felt after watching it. First off the acting was terrible, the story was so fumbled and drawn out, one after the other cliches. I guess we haven't seen enough movies about the inner city youth that is a bad seed but has good in him and a talent(painting) but the 'hood keeps pulling him under so that talent and good can never shine until his friend shoots a cop in a holding cell. I'd rather eat glass than watch this movie again.

Gritty, Beautiful, and most of all REAL

[LiddleOne1 · 24 November 2004]

Last year while I was over my Uncle's house for Thanksgiving I found this movie on the TV. I have to say that it touched me and sucked me into it immediately after watching a few seconds of it. I can't deny half of it had to deal with that I'm attracted to Frankie Negron but it was a all-around good movie. I enjoyed seeing my fellow PRs depicted as people. Not as gang-bangers or whatever others like to see us as. Yet what I really appreciated about this movie was that they didn't try to "clean" them up; they showed that even if you grow up in a bad environment that dosen't mean that you don't have any morals or standards. Frankie Negron showed through his character that beauty can grow from concrete. The immense talent and sacrifice that his character endured depicted this. Showing that he befriended someone different from the rest of the neighborhood kids was a great example of acceptance. All around a good movie that touched me. I give it and 7.5 out of 10.