Overview
A janitor's rise to power reveals the dark side of politics in a corrupt town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- biting
- sardonic
- irreverent
- political discussion night
- dark comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a biting and effective Mexican political satire led by Damián Alcázar, while finding its messaging heavy-handed.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Juan Vargas discovers that local government is structured around bribery, coercion, and impunity.
The ruling party's promises of modernity, peace, and progress contrast sharply with the town's entrenched corruption.
Juan moves step by step from reluctant officeholder to an authoritarian and corrupt mayor.
The central Mexican desert town provides an austere setting for the story's grotesque political escalation.
Films like Herod's Law, and why
The Death of Stalin
biting political satire, institutional corruption, and darkly comic escalation
Dr. Strangelove
corrupt systems, cynical humor, and a protagonist transformed by political power
The Great Dictator
political grotesque, moral decay, and sharp social satire
Movie Details
- Director
- Luis Estrada
- Release Date
- 1999-11-09
- Runtime
- 123 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (211)
Cast
- Damián Alcázar
- Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
- Salvador Sánchez
- Isela Vega
- Juan Carlos Colombo
- Delia Casanova
- Leticia Huijara
- Alex Cox
- Guillermo Gil
- Eduardo López Rojas
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Herod's Law about?
- A hapless municipal appointee becomes an authoritarian mayor when a desert town's corrupt political machinery teaches him that power rewards abuse.
- What is Herod's Law like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Herod's Law as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Herod's Law violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Herod's Law as moderate.
- What did critics think of Herod's Law?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a biting and effective Mexican political satire led by Damián Alcázar, while finding its messaging heavy-handed.
- Which films are like Herod's Law?
- Films with a similar feel include The Death of Stalin, Dr. Strangelove, and The Great Dictator.
- How long is Herod's Law?
- Herod's Law runs 123 minutes.
- Where can I watch Herod's Law?
- In United States, Herod's Law streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
