Touch of Evil: hard to watch, but well worth it

What starts off as a romantic honeymoon for newly weds Mike Vargas and his wife Susie quickly takes a turn for the worst when they witness a car explode as it was crossing the Mexican border into the U.S. Vargas, a Mexican narcotics official, gets involved with the case due to the suspicion that a native Mexican is to blame. Mean while Vargas encourages Susie to go back to the hotel to get some sleep, hoping not to get her involved, but little does he know she would have been safer at the scene of the crime. It turns out the case Mike is investigating involves Grande, a local drug lord, who is looking to protect his families name. Knowing Mike's weak spot, Grande plans to go after Susie to scare Vargas off the case. In addition to his wife being harassed by Grande's sons and simultaneously trying to solve the case, he is also up against Hank Quinlin, a crooked U.S. cop who plants evidence to sway the investigation in his favor. Between Grande, Quinlin, and Susie, Vargas has his hands full and sets out to bring justice where there is deceit.

In comparison to The Maltese Falcon, I liked this film noir better because of its in depth and more developed story line. Although it was confusing at times, it was not as distracting as the plot was in the prior movie. It challenged my thinking in a way that made me feel uncomfortable, but I think this was necessary for me to leave the movie understanding the point of the film; I think you are supposed to feel uncomfortable. This movie is meant to make you question the law and the supposed clarity between good and evil. I appreciate how blunt and direct the movie is about the overall effects of corruption. I would encourage you to give Touch of Evil a chance.