An innocent janitor appointed mayor of a small Mexican town gradually succumbs to the temptations of power and is transformed into a small-time despot. Also listed as La ley de Herodes. [ Herod’s Law credits: Dir: Luis Estrada/ 120 min/ Comedy/ Corrupt government, Power corrupts/ Mexico]
External Reviews
“The title of Herod’s Law refers to a governing principle of political life in Mexico (and not only there) that can be delicately rendered as ‘Do it to them before they do it to you’…[the film is] a parable about the demonic lure of power and wealth and the easy prostitution of democratic ideals.”
–New York Times
“Herod’s Law (La ley de Herodes) does without subtleties and outright condemns the guile that reigned in Mexico from 1929 to 2000, under the rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)…[It] paints a picture of the true nature of the state: exploitation and impunity. As libertarian theorist Murray Rothbard put it, the state is not a ‘an amiable, though often inefficient, organization for achieving social ends’ as is commonly believed, but rather ‘the systematization of the predatory process over a given territory.'”
–Pan Am Post
“Because of its corrosive take on Mexico’s ruling party, officials tried to cancel its special screening at the Acapulco French film fest…It’s easy to see why [the film] has ruffled more than a few government feathers; although the story is set in the late ’40s, the story invites contempo readings.”
–Variety
“Political satire Herod’s Law (La Ley De Herodes), directed by Luis Estrada, swept the 42nd Ariels, Mexico’s equivalent of the Oscars, on Monday night, grabbing 10 awards from 14 nominations…Among Herod’s Law’s haul were prizes for best film, best director, best actor (Damian Alcazar), best supporting actor and actress (Pedro Armendariz and Isela Vega) and best original script.”
–ScreenDaily
“As George Orwell once said ‘In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act;’ the film is said to have had a vital role in PRI losing the elections after ruling for 7 decades.”
–Surath Giri’s Blog
How to See It
Netflix
Amazon (DVD-1)
Amazon (DVD-2)
Online Video Search