‘Kingdom of Shadows’ shows futility of U.S. war on drugs

Last updated on: November 19, 2015 at 6:15 pm by Sister Rose

‘Kingdom of Shadows’ shows futility of U.S. war on drugs 2015-11-19T18:15:49-07:00 Sister Rose

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

For years I’ve been watching and reviewing movies on Mexican cartels that act with impunity due to government corruption and the futility of the war on drugs in the United States. The atrocities in Mexico include kidnapping, murder, mass murder, dismemberment, burning, hanging, the torture of thousands of innocent people (in Ciudad Juarez it was women for many years), and government complicity through intimidation, infectivity and collusion. Some of these films are Gregory Nava’s fictionalized 2006 “Bordertown,” about a journalist who is killed because he reports on the disappearance of women in Ciudad Juarez beginning in the early 1990s; the 2103 documentary “Narco Cultura” about the celebrity of cartel outlaws in the U.S. and Mexico; and to this year’s “Sicario,” a fictional story about how the U.S. government agencies fuel the drug wars in Mexico and Colombia that dramatizes the blatant failure of the war on drugs right in front of our eyes.

Now Participant Media’s latest documentary, “Kingdom of Shadows,” tells this same story through three people: a Mexican nun, a Texas rancher and a federal agent. Sr. Consuelo Morales of Monterrey works with families whose loved ones have been murdered and disappeared, guiding them through the hugely futile legal process (prosecutors always say, “we have no more lines of inquiry” to pursue) while still leaving them with some hope. Texas rancher Don Harry Ford, Jr. describes how he began smuggling marijuana in the 1980s for fast money to pay off debts — before the cartels took over the drug smuggling business. From the U.S. law enforcement side comes from Oscar Hagelsieb, who first worked undercover and then became a senior Homeland Security Officer along the border. As the son of undocumented immigrants, he knows firsthand why young people become involved in drugs: poverty and lack of opportunity.

The two Mexican crime syndicates profiled in the film are Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas started off as a special branch of the Mexican army, trained at the School of the Americas (now called Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation), when then went rogue in the late 1990s to become a criminal organization with advanced technological skills. The Gulf Cartel seems to be the oldest drug trafficking organization in Mexico.

“Kingdom of Shadows” squares the failed U.S. war on drugs with the failed Mexican war on drugs proclaimed by Mexican President Felipe Calderon in 2006. Sister Consuelo speaks of the 1,500 troops Calderon sent into Monterrey to battle the cartels and how the army picked up hundreds of innocent young people as suspects instead, most taken away and never to be heard of again except for a few escapees who lived to tell the story.

How will it all end? Rancher Ford says the illegality of drug smuggling was appealing. Officer Hagelsieb says the U.S. has to look to itself because the cartels are delivering to a willing market (more meth now because of the legalization of marijuana in some states), and Sister Consuelo, who offers the comfort of faith, says, “If victims [families] can keep on going even though their hearts are broken, we will keep going, too,” against the biggest challenges of impunity and corruption.

For more information see original post at the National Catholic Reporter

“Kingdom of Shadows,” written and directed by Emmy-Nominated Bernardo Ruiz, is another important prophetic film from Hollywood and a call to action. It is gritty, haunting and somehow hopeful. The courage of these three people to go on camera and tell the truth inspires. Let it not be for nothing.

“Kingdom of Shadows” opens in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego on Friday, Nov. 20 and will be available on video-on-demand as well.

Adult Faith Formation

us failed war on drugs

us war on drugs

Previous Post

November 19, 2015

'The Letters' new biopic about Mother Teresa of Calcutta inspires

Next Post

November 24, 2015 The Cinema of Mercy: the Face of Mercy

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Adolescent Adult Faith Formation Advertising Analysis Animals Pets Animation art Authors Awards best pope pictures Bible BioPic Blogs Book Reviews Books books into film Catechesis Catholic comedy Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Social Teaching (CST) Catholics in Media Christian genre Christmas movies Church and cinema Cognitive science Comedy Comics Commerntary Communication Cooking Courses Critics and Criticism Dance Daughters of St Paul news Devil movies digital games Documentary Drama Economics Ecumenical Education and Technology Education: Access and Empowerment electronic Environment Events Exorcism movies Eye on Entertainment Faith and film Faith formation Fantasy Film Essays Film Festivals Film History Film Retreat Film Reviews Film TV about Ultra Orthodox Jews Food General Grace Historical thriller History Horror How to Images INNdustry with Sister Rose Internet Interviews jesuits Kindness Lectures Lent Life Lists Literature media Media analysis Media Literacy/Media Mindfulness Music Musical National Catholic Reporter New on DVD Non-violence Nonviolence Obituaries On Faith and Media Oscars Ovis et bovis et universe pecore Parenting Pastoral Communication Pastoral communications Pauline Books & Media pax christi PCMS & Online Courses Peace Philosophy Photos Planning for Communication pope francis Popular Culture Radio RCL Benziger reality tv Reflections on life and grace religion Religious Lif Research Resources Retreat Rosary Sacraments Science and faith Social justice Social Media spirituality Spirituality and Media Sports Sr Rose Faith and Media Sr. Rose movies St. Anthony Messenger Stage & Theater stereotypes story Streaming series Survey Television the bible the bible movie The INNdustry with Sr Rose the voice Theater Themes of Catholic Social Teaching theologizing violence Theology theology of violence TV reviews and notes Uncategorized Video Video games Violence VR Games War War films Women World Film Young Adult YouTube

Select a Month September 2025 March 2025 December 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 December 2022 October 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Salem" (as in Melchizedek, king of Salem) mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Light Peace Joy Ark