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Mar 21, 2016 By Julia Bembenek Web Exclusive

Camino’s drama hinges on ambivalence. From the opening scene, where photojournalist Avery (Zoe Bell) receives a prestigious award for her work, it’s established that she is plagued with a deep unease regarding her position as the documenter and passive participant in the heavily loaded political events. However, despite her wariness, Avery is convinced to take on yet another assignment. Partly out of a sense of duty and partly to escape her personal demons, she ventures into the Colombian jungle with a group of guerrilla missionaries. Lead by a charismatic Spaniard named Guillermo, the group ventures to remote towns, bringing medicine and other supplies to inhabitants. It’s all very revolutionary romantic, until Avery discovers that Guillermo is actually a ruthless drug trafficker. Ever professional, she snaps a picture and with a single snap the film transforms into a survival action-thriller. As Avery tries to escape Guillermo, she crosses a lot of lines, leaving the role of documentarian and taking on a mission of justice.

Director Josh C. Waller skillfully crafts Camino into a fully functional action thriller. The beats hit at the right places, and Zoe Bell’s background as a stunt performer brings a physical intelligence that helps the action play well. But while the film is competent, it’s also only competent. There’s nothing unexpected or inventive. Motivations are clear and basic, facilitating plot points at the appropriate place in the narrative. Such predictability undermines the action and suspense elements and ambivalence gives way to apathy.

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Author rating: 4/10