For me, the best kind of a B movie is a movie that you try to fix in real time. Maybe that’s just me, it’s pretty easy to look at a film like Welcome to Acapulco and just think that film is going to be trash…you wouldn’t be entirely wrong but not for the reasons that you think. The production is here, the cast is here, the location is here, and the premise has potential. So why doesn’t this movie work? It doesn’t commit to the bit.

Welcome to Acapulco begins with your average video game designer named Matt Booth (Michael Kingsbaker). Matt has a routine assignment to save his career, go to New Mexico and unveil his latest project at the Video Game Awards. The problem is, on his flight, Matt wakes up in ACTUAL Mexico, not New Mexico. The second he lands, he is stalked and hounded by a wide range of criminals who all believe that he has a package that they all want. Matt, however, has no idea what anyone is talking about but they all are willing to kill him to get it.

Committing to the bit basically means that if you are going to play a certain angle or a character…sell it. Go all in, especially if what you are selling is completely ridiculous. The premise of a guy randomly ending up in Mexico and instantly becoming the most wanted man in town is one that you could do so many things within an action comedy but the film drops the ball. The biggest mistake this film makes is having the main character narrate and monologue throughout. Within the first 5-10 minutes, you are already tired of listening to our protagonist speak in the film and during it.

Ana Serradilla, who plays the Adriana is the only person who doesn’t try to kill Matt and serves as the unofficial protagonist in many ways. They tease a relationship between the two but they don’t have enough screentime to sell that as a reality. Veterans actors Michael Madsen and William Baldwin are in the film doing their typical character actor thing and both of them steal every scene that they are in. There are some clever gags involving video games that are well done as well as a colorful cast of supporting characters that provide an overall joyful experience. Welcome to Acapulco is a solid B movie that is held back by a few creative decisions regarding its main characters. Doesn’t mean the film isn’t worth a VOD viewing.

2.5/5

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