Scott LeBrun "Borderline", admittedly, is fairly undistinguished in terms of presentation. It's passable as an action flick, and entertains reasonably well for 100 minutes. It purports to shed light on the problem of illegal immigration, which in 2015 is more of a hot button issue than ever before. Characters are mostly thinly drawn, but writer Steve Kline and writer / director Jerrold Freedman aren't completely insensitive to the plight of the good, honest, hard workers like Elena Morales (Karmin Murcelo) who feel they have no choice.The movie does benefit from giving its star, Charles Bronson, a worthy adversary: a particularly ruthless and cold blooded smuggler named Hotchkiss (Ed Harris, in the role that "introduced" him), who sealed his fate when he killed Scooter Jackson (Wilford Brimley), one of the co-workers of the Bronson character, Jeb Maynard. Jeb and Scooter are among those on Border Patrol detail, and when Scooter gets murdered, Jeb takes it upon himself to solve the case. He doesn't trust the ignorant agents of the FBI, who think the whole case is about drugs. Jeb must also break in a new employee, Jimmy Fante (Bruno Kirby), an eager beaver rookie sent from NY.What gives "Borderline" some stature today is its truly superior supporting cast. Bronson does what he usually does (which, of course, he is very cool at doing), but it's Harris and others that truly bring this to life. You can't go too wrong reading through this cast list: Bert Remsen, Michael Lerner, Kenneth McMillan, Norman Alden, John Ashton, Charles Cyphers, Virgil Frye, Luis Contreras, et al. Although the environment is very much male-dominated, Ms. Murcelo is appealing and touching as the illegal alien who reluctantly provides Jeb with the assistance that he needs.This is worth noting for a striking music score by Gil Melle and cinematography by the consistently dependable Tak Fujimoto. It *is* enjoyable enough, even if it is formula driven and not too memorable.Seven out of 10.

trashgang This is just a flick with a simple story but it's still watchable towards todays standards. It's all about the borderline between America and Mexico and the business that is going on to 'help' Mexicans cross the line. For a flick of 1980 it is very low on brutality. It was a time that had a lot of blood, nudity and gore in it's flicks but this here just hasn't any of that. There's one killing that is well done, the shooting at the beginning but further there's nothing to see. But the thespians here to see is the main reason to watch it. The main lead is done by Charles Bronson, you love or hate him but I love him even as he isn't an actor with great abilities he still delivers. It was made at a time that Bronson was more in rough flicks or revenge flicks starting with the Death Wish franchise (1974). But there's also Ed Harris (Hotchkiss) here to see in one of his first major roles. He got his first taste of critical acclaim, playing astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff (1983). Also Bruno Kirby (Jimmy Fante ) made it in blockbusters like Good Morning Vietnam (1987). There are more popular faces to see in smaller roles like Charles Cypher.We have seen this story a few times in other flicks but as I said earlier, it still works and is in fact still actual.Gore 0/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

lost-in-limbo Charles Bronson has a long-listed filmography that has undeserved sleepers mixed among the favourites, but also there are quite a few standard vehicle efforts. 'Borderline' figures in that latter pile. Entertaining for the odd 97 minutes, but nothing really there to make it overly memorable. Maybe to see a steely Ed Harris make his first real dent in the major film industry, but other than that there's very little to it.The subject at hand (illegal immigration of Mexicans crossing over the US border) is very topical and naturally integrated, as Charles Bronson plays the chief border patrol officer. However despite how strong the themes are, it's never truly harrowing and piercing enough in its context to lift it above its average layout. The human drama is too black and white (lacking an emotional punch), but also suffering was that it never gained any real sort of assured brunt when it came to the action. It can get rough, but the thrills are sparsely worked in. But this being the case it doesn't stop it from being effective, just it leaves a no real agreeable imprint.During the nights Chief Border Patrol Officer Jeb and his overworked men take in many illegal aliens trying to cross over the border. One of his men pulls over a truck, but is shot for it. After the killing of a border patrol officer and a young Mexican boy too. The FBI is brought on to the case and believes it to have something to do with drug running. However Jeb along with the deceased boy's mother go about trying to figure out what really happened and he has his true suspicions.What I liked was how director Jerrod Freedman gives the film quite an organic look, as the camera follows the action in a documentary-style. Freedman's direction is sturdily serviceable, never forced and lets it breeze by. Gil Mellé's rousing score is on the mark.The cast do the best with what the script allows. Bronson alone gets through it with such genuine conviction. Harris' on-screen charisma evidently features with a well-comprised performance and Karmin Murcelo gives a wonderfully warm turn of heart-broke. There's an well-fitted supporting cast with Bruno Kerby, Michael Lerner, Wilford Brimley, Kenneth McMillan and Charles Cyphers.Workable, if indistinguishable.

Wizard-8 I can't understand why Bronson would choose to appear in such a low-key and predictable movie (unless it was for the money). There's almost no action, there's almost no investigating of the mystery, and you can tell what's going to happen next in almost every part of the movie. Even if you are a Bronson fan, you shouldn't bother with this entry in Bronson's filmography.