Like Pandilleros; Pandilleras: Chavas Banda begins with real-life interviews on the streets—but this time around its interviews are with adolescents that are punks & goths. Not so much kids in poverty & lost in addiction. The male adolescents interviewed here pretty much just talk about how they’re always judged by the way they look and speak of why they’re into the punk or goth style. When the interview turns to the adolescent females–they too speak of their styles & how they have to be more careful than their male counterparts—but luckily for them they have many friends backing them up & keeping them safe always. The interviews here are intriguingly wholesome and not depressing whatsoever—thus leading me to believe that Ismael Rodriguez Jr was now focusing on making a film for a younger audience craving to see cool violence & an attractive cast. A social commentary on poverty & drugs as well? Nah. Not this time. Ismael was not going to make anyone sad or feel so angry at the country this time around.
In Pandilleras: Chavas Banda—we meet 3 young ladies named “La Mulata”, “Belen” and “Selena”. La Mulata is the leading lady and she’s very loyal to her fellow gang members & friends and so much that she helps out a friend from the neighborhood “Rosa”—whom struggles back home with a mother who’s boyfriend is a shithead of a thief & philanderer. Rosa begins to hang out more with La Mulata & her gang since she sees how much they care about each other and thinks they're very cool girls. Beyond the edgy outfits & rebellious attitudes though—La Mulata, Belen and Selena are also cold-blooded killers & thieves. They are very dangerous young ladies and not to be underestimated at all!
Pandilleras: Chavas Banda is the 3rd & final entry of street gang/poverty movies that Ismael Rodriguez Jr was making. This one however differs from its predecessors since it is not so grimy and not so depressing. If anything—this is the 'fun' entry of the series. The movie is meant to be a fun watch and not so much try to feed the audience a social commentary. Another difference so noticeably is how the cast is rather attractive looking. Very appealing & very cool. None of the ladies here are ever in dirty attire or looking roughed up. An obvious sign of Ismael reeling in young people to come see cool & pretty girls in a gang doing some wild stuff and that includes giving a giant fuck you to the patriarchy near the end. That scene in particular is pretty intense and very satisfying to see.
Pandilleras will not shock you nor will it make you think about the hard knock lives in Mexico—but it will entertain you for sure. It has a decent story and enough violence to satisfy. It is definitely worth a look if you're into Olor A Muerte and Pandilleros.