This Sundance prizewinner is a journalistic saga of immigration directed with a thriller's physicality by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Casper (Flores) has long been a member of the Mara, a cutthroat cult of Mexican youths who wear so many scary tattoos, they're like the Maori of the barrio. He ends up on the run, joining a group of immigrants who are traveling, literally, atop a train while seeking passage into the U.S. They include Sayra (Gaitan), a Honduran teenager who's the film's clear-eyed, one-note heroine. Whenever Sin Nombre turns violent, it seizes you with its convulsive skill, but the film's images vastly outstrip its imagination. B–
OscarWatch TV: 'Avatar' as underdog?
Dave Karger and Missy Schwartz on the rise of ''Hurt Locker,'' Sandra leapfrogging Meryl for Best Actress
More
Totally 'Lost'!
Get up to speed for the final season:
New theories and news from Doc Jensen, exclusive video, photos, trivia, and more
More
Add your comment
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject or we might delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk * indicates a required field.