When the skeletal remains of eleven women and girls are discovered in the New Mexico desert, an extensive investigation is launched. Inspired by true crime stories, this chilling crime-thriller called “Boneyard” follows Police Chief Carter (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), Detective Ortega (Brian Van Holt), and Agent Petrovick (Mel Gibson) in a multi-agency effort to identify and apprehend the killer. As each of their agendas and methods clash, a tangled web of intrigue casts suspicion in all directions.
Gibson plays the FBI profiler Agent Petrovick called into to help with the case.
There is much underhanded police work going on here, with one undercover team as corrupt as the day is long.
Police Chief Carter is hard pressed to discern just who is legitimately searching for the mass murderer and who is covering up for one of their own.
There are many scenes of prostitutes being picked up by mysterious men and then depictions of their bodies being dumped in gravesites.
It’s a slow running film, in my opinion, with Ortega and Petrovick lightly clawing at each other. Carter is a suitable Police Chief, but his character could have been stronger and more aggressive.
In the end, the suspect is never apprehended, although a few men are arrested and questioned.
“Boneyard” is based on a real story and the film, rightfully so, is dedicated to the 11 known victims and their families.
Here is Google search information about the news story: “Boneyard” is inspired by (and fairly closely based on) the true crime case of West Mesa in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
While the West Mesa case remains unsolved, we do know that the remains discovered in 2009 belonged to girls and women. Also, we know that they disappeared between 2001 and 2005.
Vincent McDaniel co-wrote the film in 2020. Reportedly, he said he has a personal connection to this story. “There was a time in my life when I was in the street, and I was involved in certain things. And I knew a lot of these girls,” he said. That’s an eerie statement to what hopefully will become a fresh look at these cases through this film.
Look for “Boneyard” in theaters this weekend.
Take a look at the trailer: https://youtu.be/-5iAMhNZOZA?si=Sp0gzp68u-sdwAko.
