It begins with a cheesy car chase, a man brutally stabbed by a knife clearly made of rubber, then Luis Aguilar unusually sings “Soy Un Esclavo” to Diana Ferreti in a crowded restaurant. This is just 6-8 minutes into Nacido Para Matar ("Born To Kill").
An unseen mob boss has put out a hit on former associates who don’t pay up some sort of bribe. Those who don’t comply are simply killed by the mob’s hired hitman “Frankie” (Agustin Bernal), whom was clearly born to kill. Frankie is a skilled killer who’s jobs are always gruesomely well done. He’ll stab with a large knife he carries around, he’ll also use an electric drill and he’ll even just use the strong hands & legs he was born with. The unseen mob boss is particularly after a wealthy man named Alberto (Luis Aguilar) who is hesitant on paying off the mafia and he’s also sleeping with his young secretary Alicia (Diana Ferreti) who just happens to be working alongside the mafia as an insider. Alberto continues to be hesitant on paying and his son Gilberto (Pedro Infante Jr) really wants this mafia payment bullshit to be done with and so he decides to do something about it—even if it means risking his own life.
Nacido Para Matar was directed by Juan Manuel Herrera and he is quite the familiar name around here since he also directed La Metralleta Infernal and also did cinematography for Noche De Fieras & Yako: Cazador De Malditos. Both those movies very much feel like fever dreams and Nacido Para Matar feels that way as well with its synthesizer-sounding murder scenes and a scene with Luis Aguilar singing is just brought upon forcefully & Diana Ferreti clearly looking uncomfortable through out the whole song. Then pretty much every scene with Frankie not killing was very odd-feeling as well. All he does is hang out in a pool hall and later on he has extremely awkward sex with a bar girl he’s smitten over. There’s also another sex scene in the movie that lasts a little too long and features some very cheesy lighting effects & the music going along with it is so odd sounding. Not sexy at all.
Agustin Bernal truly does a wonderful & wild job playing "Frankie" and it just happens to be that this was Agustin’s first leading role in a full-length feature after several key minor roles through out the mid 1980’s. Agustin’s first leading role would be something wild like this, but boy did he do it good. Agustin’s brute charisma was always believable in any movie he starred in and I’m so glad that I’ve been able to see his first time shining for the big screen.
Nacido Para Matar is unusually fascinating and will surely be joyous to watch at any time. If intoxicated, the viewing will perhaps be even more enjoyable.