What are you willing to do to save the life of someone you love? Would you sail across an ocean? Battle a cyclops or fire-breathing dragon? Or maybe smuggle a substantial amount of drugs across the United States-Mexican border. In Crossing Point, one man is pitted across immeasurable odds to accomplish such a task. Young lovers Michael and Olivia are enjoying a vacation in Baja with close friends. A clear romantic, Michael is ready to leave behind his club days and commit to the love of his life. Their happily ever after is derailed after Olivia is abducted by a drug cartel, and Michael is tasked with smuggling their product across the border into the United States in 12 hours.
With no resources and no assistance, he must figure out how to accomplish this task. Meanwhile, Jesus Valencia, a police detective, is investigating a string of suspicious deaths of visiting foreigners and stumbles upon the operation. In order to complete his task and save his Olivia, Michael must bust the police, coyotes (not the animals), and rival cartels, all while the clock continues to count down.
Although predictable in some aspects, I will confess that there were a few times when this film went farther than I anticipated it to. To address the former, the predictable was a mid-way plot twist that I’m sure many will see coming from the very beginning. I won’t say what it is for those who may actually be caught off guard, though I believe that will be a very small number. When it comes to the going farther, I am referring to the lengths that the main character goes to in order to complete his mission. In similar films, the guy is more timid, and though he wants to protect his love, they are usually unwilling to cross certain lines. However, Michael appears to be the exception to that rule, as he doesn’t hesitate to go to any length, including shedding blood, to achieve his objective. In the long run, I think that is what will set Crossing Point apart from movies of similar premises.
There are a couple of familiar faces in the story such as Tom Sizemore, Jacob Vargas, even Luke Goss. However, they are not the focal point of the film, nor are they the most compelling person. As it turns out, Shawn Lock, who plays Michael, is the one who manages to steal the show. It is the determination that he brings to the character that drives the plot forward in my humble opinion. Speaking of moving forward, the pacing of the film is another triumph, as it managed to maintain my attention without me growing bored. A bit of a bittersweet ending; however, upon further reflection, I must admit that it was most likely the best note the tale could have ended on.
Not exactly the type of film that you rush out and see; however, it is suitable for at-home consumption. As I mentioned earlier, though the plot twist is a bit predictable, the overall pacing and the performance of Shawn Locke make it a worthwhile experience.
