“Borderline”

Movie Review

Jerold Freedman co-wrote and directed the 1980 American action criminal drama movie Borderline. It is based in the San Diego-Tijuana region of the U.S.-Mexican border and stars Charles Bronson, Ed Harris, and Bruno Kirby. It follows a United States Border Patrol Agent who impersonates an illegal alien in order to apprehend a killer importing workers from Mexico.

Charles Bronson's Agent Jeb Maynard is searching for the killers of a little Mexican kid and Wilford Brimley's Senior USBP Agent "Scooter" Jackson, a seasoned agent. The Otay Border Patrol Station, which is situated in the hills east of San Diego, is overseen by Agent in Charge Maynard. Later, the boy's mother, played by Karmin Murcelo, and a new agent, played by Bruno Kirby, named Jimmy Fantes, assist him. Ed Harris plays Hotchkiss, an illegal alien smuggler who is only known to the aliens as "the Marine." Hotchkiss works for Carl Richards, a local fruit grower, whose land he utilizes as a front for his enterprise transporting illegal aliens.

Jackson, conducting normal traffic enforcement, stops Hotchkiss's alien-laden vehicle being driven by a subordinate smuggler. On top of the truck are boxes of tomatoes, but the main body, which is accessible through the back doors, is occupied by illegal aliens. Hotchkiss, who is traveling in the back with the aliens, shoots Jackson at close range with a sawn-off shotgun after Jackson requests that the driver open the truck's back. Hotchkiss kills the Mexican youngster with another shot after he is severely injured by errant buckshot and carries both dead into the roadside shrubs where he parked Jackson's Border Patrol car. The F.B.I. is brought in to conduct an investigation since it has primary authority over killings involving federal officials. The truck's driver, troubled by the killings, is later killed when Hotchkiss causes the truck to crash in an effort to convince the FBI and the Border Patrol that the killings had something to do with drug trafficking. Maynard tries to convince the F.B.I. that the marijuana in the truck was only a ruse since he believes that Jackson was killed by alien traffickers, but they are unable to believe him. Jeb Maynard doesn't think someone would go to the trouble of removing all identifying information from the truck yet carelessly leave many bags of marijuana behind, despite the FBI's apparent conviction that the deaths are drug-related.

Later in the morning, other USBP agents discover the remains of Jackson and the Mexican youngster. Agent Maynard spots military-style boot tracks with strange patterns on the soles among the footprints at the crime scene, and Agent Fantes finds some fresh tomatoes close to the deceased. An agent's suspicion is raised since one of his professional skills is "sign-cutting," which involves examining, analyzing, and interpreting trails and imprints left in the ground. Fantes is instructed by Maynard to deliver the tomatoes to a university's agriculture department for examination. In the meantime, Maynard and Fantes begin inspecting the trails in the hills that the drug and illegal immigrant traffickers use to enter the country. In a track where a USBP electronic ground sensor has been destroyed by digging, they discover the identical military foot prints. Former U.S. Marine Hotchkiss was trained on such equipment while serving in the Marine Corps, and now he runs a complex and extremely successful business smuggling illegal aliens. On an earlier smuggling run, he had uncovered the sensor and turned it off.

During Jackson's burial, Maynard informs Malcolm Wallace, I&NS Commissioner, about his suspicions. Wallace advises him to continue cautiously, but with Fantes' help, Maynard launches his own investigation. Maynard went to San Diego after discovering the boy's mother, Elena Morales, employed as a nanny by a wealthy family because he had discovered the address on a piece of paper in the garments of the deceased Hispanic boy. He brings her to the morgue to identify her son's remains before enlisting her assistance in tracking out the murderers. Elena concurs, so Maynard assumes her cousin's identity and travels underground. She introduces him to an alien smuggler in Tijuana who had previously smuggled her across the border when she had last done so as they enter Mexico. Hotchkiss' associate in Mexico is this smuggler. Maynard can pass for a Mexican because to his physical characteristics, but because of his poor Spanish, Elena informs the smuggler that her cousin is dim-witted and rarely speaks.

They are smuggled into the United States together with a group of thirty other migrants after Elena pays the smuggler with money Maynard gave her. The gang is ambushed by bandits after Maynard overhears the smuggler leading them refer to "the Marine who runs things" to Elena. While Maynard and Elena are safe, they miss their chance to meet the ringleader Hotchkiss and continue walking towards the San Diego suburbs. When he drives Elena home, he thanks her for her assistance and promises to make an effort to help her resolve her immigration issues if she comes into his office the following week.

After cleaning up, Maynard returns home and attempts to sleep. Fantes calls to let him know that according to the agriculture report on the tomatoes, a certain brand of pesticide was used to treat them. Only a few sizable farms in the region utilize the brand, according to Fantes' inquiries with the local U.S. Department of Agriculture office. To discuss their next course of action, they meet later at the Border Patrol station. With that pesticide, Maynard and Fantes visit the nearby fruit farms before making their way to Richards' fruit ranch. Maynard is aware of Richards' history of using undocumented workers illegally and paying them meager salaries to harvest his fruit. When Maynard and Fantes arrive, Hotchkiss is inside the main ranch house, but she remains there while Richards goes outside to meet with the Agents. Maynard discovers the military boot tracks in the nearby ground that he had earlier noticed while speaking with Richards.

Agents Lambert and Monroe of the Border Patrol helped Maynard and Fantes set up a surveillance on the ranch. They use binoculars to observe Hotchkiss leaving the house with other smugglers, including the Mexican who had led the gang that Maynard and Elena had entered, while wearing his combat boots and camouflage marine field jacket. "The Marine" has been located by Maynard. Hotchkiss intends to conduct a significant smuggling operation soon that will bring a big number of illegal immigrants into the country in a single night before ceasing activities until the situation calms down. Maynard gathers all of his operatives at the station, deduces Hotchkiss's objectives from what he sees while watching the ranch over the ensuing days, and arranges an operation to attack the Richards Ranch the following evening.

They conduct a nighttime raid on the property, apprehend the smugglers and illegal aliens, and detain them there. Hotchkiss arrives with the final batch of aliens at daybreak. He takes out a revolver and fires at the Patrol Agents as they try to take him into custody. Hotchkiss runs away after taking cover, but Maynard chases him down in a Border Patrol SUV. Hotchkiss rushes into the nearby shrubs and trees after trying to lose him on an outdated dirt road that ends in a dead end. Maynard pulls out his revolver and follows him into the forest. Hotchkiss loops around, believing he has gotten the better of Maynard, but as he is about to get back into his car, Maynard emerges, brandishing his revolver and yelling, "The end of the road." Hotchkiss spins around and begins to fire, but Maynard kills Hotchkiss with one shot.

After receiving a three-year federal prison sentence, Richards leaves San Diego's courthouse as Maynard and Fantes look on. Due to "lack of evidence," Richards' boss, who is also on trial, is not found guilty. Fantes regrets the likelihood that Richards will immediately resume his activities smuggling extraterrestrials after his parole. Maynard responds with a smile, "It's alright youngster, so will we."

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