Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Wuchak Released in 1988, "The Milagro Beanfield War" is a whimsical drama about a Hispanic town in Northern New Mexico that's being invaded by land developers who want to turn the town into a resort and drive out the Chicano villagers. Chick Vennera plays the owner of the beanfield, Sonia Braga the champion of his cause, John Heard an aging ex-hippie lawyer who supports them and Daniel Stern a New York college student who takes up living on the beanfield property; Christopher Walken and Richard Bradford play the villains while Melanie Griffith has a cameo.This was Robert Redford's second movie in the director chair after the successful "Ordinary People" (1980). It failed at the box office perhaps because, while "Milagro" isn't bad at all, it's not great either; it's somewhere in between. It's professionally made with a great cast and locations, but it's only mildly engrossing. The problem is that there are so many characters, Braga's being the best, none of them are portrayed with much depth. It would've been a better movie if they cut out the fat and focused on a few of the characters, throwing in a dramatic hook, like Jack & Rose in "Titanic." A good example of something that could've been cut is Daniel Stern's character. Although Stern does fine in the role it's really an unnecessary character since the story already features a gringo who sides with the villagers. Despite this negative, I enjoyed the film and it leaves you with a good feeling. It's reminiscent of 1984's "The River" in tone and quality, albeit chipper and quirkier.The film runs 117 minutes and was shot in Espanola, Los Alamos, Truchas and Santa Fe, New Mexico.GRADE: B-

preppy-3 The tiny New Mexico town of Milagro is about to be taken over by developers. However farmer Joe Mondragon (Chick Vennera) builds a beanfield using their water. This sparks off a war that threatens to get more and dangerous between the developers and townspeople.This came (and went) very quickly in 1988. The only reason it was made at all was because director Robert Redford's previous film ("Ordinary People") had been a big hit and won multiple Oscars. The title alone probably turned away most moviegoers. That's too bad because this is a sweet, lyrical movie. It somehow manages to draw the viewer into this small town and the inhabitants and make you care and side with them. It helps that there is some simply gorgeous cinematography and it has an Oscar-winning score that perfectly matches the films mood and tone. Also there is a huge cast of American and Latino actors--all of them are just great! The beautiful Sonia Braga is on hand and takes a minor role and really brings it to life. Also there's a simply wonderful scene where John Heard tells off evil Christopher Walken (Walken's always dazed expression perfectly fits this scene). A one of a kind beautiful film.The films R rating is unnecessary. There's no nudity, sex and minor bloodless violence. There's a little swearing but it's casual and done so quickly you're not even aware of it. It deserves a PG-13. Worth catching but not for everybody.

Robert J. Maxwell A small town of mostly Mexican residents is about to be ruined by a land developer who has visions of hotels, motels, condos, and ski lodges dancing in his head. The few hundred men and women in Milagro are divided about what to do. Some see construction jobs bringing in money and excitement. Others feel that "our town is a family." The developer and his team of henchmen are all in this together, but the conflict between the townspeople grows until an accidental shooting takes place. The main mean guy, Christopher Walken, hunts down the accidental shootist, Chick Vennera, but the victim of the shooting recovers and refuses to press charges. Richard Bradford is the head of the development company and gives up his attempt to buy the land, raging against his advisers. This summary makes it sound like some angry docu-drama, but it's a surprisingly gentle and whimsical movie.This is a kind of tricky area to deal with in any kind of fiction. The tendency is to make the villagers and the interlopers generic. How many times have we seen these romanticized peasants? They always go about their business in a languid informal manner. They sing a lot. They eat with gusto. They don't mind a drink now and then. They have a great sense of humor and a mystical feeling for the land. Often there's a highly respected, or at any rate easily tolerated, dotty ancient man or woman.And how often have we seen the equivalent of these land developers? They dress in suits and ties. They're full of guile. They press the law to its limits and maybe a little beyond. They have no particular feelings for each other. Their only interest is pelf.The director, Robert Redford, doesn't entirely avoid these clichés, but he keep them about as toned down as this kind of story permits. Some of the actors aren't that convincing, but Christopher Walken certainly is. Every performance he gives seems like a polished gem. The film has virtues beyond the plot and the other usual elements. The photography captures a magnificent landscape. Not staggeringly majestic -- not the Grand Canyon -- not that raw -- but a silent and self-satisfied ocean of pinyon and juniper clotted rolling hills. You can almost smell the Pinesol.Alas, though, the tony resort development is a canard. That's not the problem facing these small-town good guys. It's the people who are going to live in those condos and ski on those slopes that present the problem and the problem extends far beyond the town limits of Milagro or even San Juan County. And it's not a pleasant problem to contemplate because it involves us.The people who will live in those condos must live somewhere, and some day they will have to live here, and, as the local editor, John Heard, points out, they'll demand clean water and restaurants. Taxes will skyrocket and urban sprawl will sprawl.In 1950, the population of the earth was roughly 2 billion. It's now 6 billion and by 2050 will have doubled.Robert Bradford and the Ladd Devine Development company may give up in disgust but can anyone doubt that there will be another such entity offering greater bribes ten years from now? Or that eventually one or another such entity will get what it wants? Or that such entities are only the thin end of the wedge of a change process whose proportions are monumental?The good folks of Milagro are going to lose their village, just like everybody else. But how can we argue against population growth? You might as well argue against motherhood and apple pie.

ccthemovieman-1 This started off so well, with some absolutely beautiful New Mexico scenery, I had high hopes. Unfortunately, they were dashed the rest of the way as director Robert Redford had to shout his Left Wing politics loud and clear in our face.So what we wind up with is a low-down, dishonest greedy Right Wing big businessman running the poor little guys out of town and only those good-guy liberal activist minorities saving the day. We even get a dose of Christian bigotry here where those poor picked-on-pagan gods are run out by Christians! Well, you just know what side is going to win: yes, those wonderful left wingers, adored by the film industry.This VHS went into a garbage can where it belonged. Adios!!