RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / La Ley De Herodes
La Ley De Herodes

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

La Ley De Herodes (2000)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
67 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:24

Fresh:16

Rotten:8

Average Rating:6.3/10

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for violence, sexuality and language

Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins

Genre: Foreign Films

Theatrical Release:Jun 13, 2003 Limited

Synopsis: Artistically photographed in a characteristic sepia tone, "Herod's Law" is a controversial and delirious comic fable told in a deliciously sarcastic tone. The story is set in 1949 in the... Artistically photographed in a characteristic sepia tone, "Herod's Law" is a controversial and delirious comic fable told in a deliciously sarcastic tone. The story is set in 1949 in the authentically designed village of San Pedro de los Saguaros, a small town of 100 habitants, where the last few mayors have been lynched. Consequently, amidst the proximity of future elections, the ruling party appoints Juan Vargas, a sleepy junkyard operator whose lust for power is awakened when he becomes mayor of the troublesome desert outpost. At first, the new mayor of San Pedro de los Saguaros is idealistic. Set on bringing the town the "modernity and social justice" his political party trumpets as its theme, he quickly learns the system works otherwise -- by "Herod's Law" (meaning "that's the way it is; there is no choice, whether you like it or not", although not in these exact words). Soon, Vargas is bribing, blackmailing, and even killing to consolidate his power. His humble way of life is now a whirlwind of violence, uncontrolled sensuality, lies and self preservation. Surprisingly, his corrupt ways are not only tolerated at the end but rewarded by a seat in his country congress. The characters, sublimely portrayed, can be taken 'as is' but also represent bigger entities; Arch roles without succumbing to caricature bursting with homespun tales. -- © Venevision International [More]

Starring: Damián Alcázar, Pedro Armendariz, Delia Casanova

Starring: Damián Alcázar, Pedro Armendariz, Delia Casanova

Director: Luis Estrada

Director: Luis Estrada
Studio: Venevision International Films

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Feb 3, 2004

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for La Ley De Herodes

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Con una actuación y un reparto formidables, presenta en forma de farsa una gran realidad mexicana

Full Review Source: Moviola | comment Comment
03/21/01
Jorge Avila Andrade
Jorge Avila Andrade
Moviola

As [Estrada's] fast-moving scenes raced toward the big-bang finish, I never wanted the dust to settle.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
07/10/03
Allison Benedikt
Allison Benedikt
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Oddly, but quite effectively, it's a comedy. A dark comedy, but funny nonetheless.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/20/03
Tim Cogshell
Tim Cogshell
Boxoffice Magazine

To connect with the story, you have to care about the victims or the character who falls from grace and unfortunately, you don't give a hot tamale about either.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
10/03/03
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

Often heavy-handed and obvious.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
04/15/04
Duane Dudek
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Luis Estrada, the co-writer and director, uses his characters so clearly as symbols that he neglects to give them the complexity of human beings.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
07/11/03
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Juan arms himself with a rewritten town constitution and a pistol. Kinky sex and ill-gotten dinero shortly follow.

Full Review Source: Citysearch | comment Comment
09/16/03
Dan Fazio
Dan Fazio
Citysearch

Accomplished and delightfully subversive.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
09/12/03
Ted Fry
Ted Fry
Seattle Times

Comes off as cartoonish drivel, broadly played and poorly written.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
07/16/03
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Yeah, OK, we know. Absolutely power corrupts absolutely. What else?

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
09/20/03
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

Production values are excellent and so is the cast.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
03/22/01
J. Hoberman
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

As the story unfolds, Alcazar's slow-burn performance pays off with a venomous brilliance, making the audience choke on the guffaws that came so easily earlier.

Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
07/25/03
Sean Means
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune

Alcazar makes a deft transition from idiot to maniac, serving as an anchor for the broad performances around him.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
09/12/03
Carla Meyer
Carla Meyer
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Funny, evocatively photographed, and vibrantly acted salvo.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
09/12/03
Wesley Morris
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A bracingly sarcastic political comedy ... possessed of a baleful satiric eye for hypocrisy and greed, a delicious anti-clerical bent, and pitch-perfect comic timing.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
06/12/03
John Patterson
John Patterson
L.A. Weekly

A wonderfully cute and biting political satire.

Full Review Source: Internet Reviews | comment Comment
09/10/03
Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes
Internet Reviews

The actors are uniformly excellent, embracing their arch roles without succumbing to caricature.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
04/11/01
Ted Shen
Ted Shen
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

At times it seems like the director became as self-indulgent as Vargas, repeatedly hitting the same notes of petty debauchery and cruelty well after the easy-to-see points have been made.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
06/13/03
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

Alczar, who won the Mexican Oscar for his performance, brings a lot of energy to the role, but it's not enough to counterbalance the film's heavy-handed predictability.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
09/18/03
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Half Preston Sturges and half Sam Peckinpah...though it sometimes takes its swipes with a bludgeon rather than a scalpel, it hits more often than it misses.

Full Review Source: One Guy's Opinion | comment Comment
10/05/03
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
all

Latest News for La Ley De Herodes

November 09, 2005: RT Interview: "Crónicas" Director Sebastián Cordero
It played in just over 100 theaters back in July, so you can be forgiven if you haven't heard a whole lot about "Crónicas" just yet. But the Ecuadorian crime thriller... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Nine Pictures

Nine Pictures

Hottest poster ever? 14 pictures from Nine

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

RT on DVD & Blu-ray

RT on DVD & Blu-ray

Find this week's latest releases!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
14
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
1
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
9
  • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
30
  • Nimrod Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
17
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
84
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
90
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
85
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
47
  • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
33
  • RT's Blu-ray Picks from WB
30
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
25
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
24
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • La Ley De Herodes at Rotten Tomatoes
  • La Ley De Herodes at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.