Hawaii 2024 Review: Hard Justice in BALOTA

It seems like election conflicts are the norm right now, or perhaps it’s always been this way, and we just notice it more in the age of constant social media and news. Kip Oebanda’s (Abandoned, Liway) latest film, Balota, addresses election strife in the extreme, having just played the 44^th annual Hawaii International Film Festival.

Synopsis: A teacher pays an increasingly steep price for defending the democratic process of the election.

The teacher in question is Emmy, played by Marian Rivera (My Guardian Alien). There’s a corrupt mayor up for re-election, and some locals are bribing voters with cash. Emmy cannot be bribed. In fact, it’s shown at a local protest that the incumbent, very rich Mayor Hidalgo is responsible for the death of at least a few people in addition to other crimes. Hidalgo is a woman, and the male newcomer she’s running against is a possibly even richer former basketball player, Edraline.

(Aside: There was a strange “his body, his choice” reference in the film that baffled me early on; whereas most of the world sees a similar phrase as a woman’s fight against oppressive, harmful politics wrought by mostly men, the phrase used here likely refers to a few of the transgender supporting characters.)

So what are the people to do, aside protest? Volunteer at the voting booth, spread the word, and hope for the best. Emmy is one such teacher doing this, and she can’t be bought. As the moral compass of Balota, her sons are well raised, similarly good human beings.

As the ballot counting heats up, so does the violence. Emmy is on the way to the governor’s house or office with her district’s ballot box when an offer, which leads to a threat, which leads to death, happens in close quarters. Emmy narrowly escapes with the box cuffed to her. She isn’t quite a final girl due to Balota being a thriller and not a slasher, but in true final girl fashion, Emmy uses that ballot box as a weapon, which I appreciated. This is a survival film with a political lens.

The rest of her family, her boys and sister, are quickly found. One of them doesn’t survive the police presence that threatens them. Enzo, one of the boys, is taken by police under duress and false pretenses. The father is apparently in America and not reachable, as they don’t try. However, I see this as an almost-reversal of the dead mother/girlfriend trope. It’s not quite a trope, as the significant other isn’t killed only to set off the other half of the couple on their journey and possible character arc.

Anyway, without spoiling things, Balota is tense in certain spots, and quite effective in these areas. Namely, these are when Emmy and her family are threatened the most. Through her own will of steel and her love for her family and community, Emmy manages to triumph, but at a cost. Her past support of a certain authority figure is what really enables not just her survival, but works for the greater good of the community. Rivera is terrific.

LGBQTI+ community members will likely find some strength in Balota, due to the messages within. The ending seems a bit too neatly wrapped up and even a bit saccharine to me, but viewers interested in socio-political upheavals will find plenty to like.