Dying in the Gulf

Dying in the Gulf centers on Lázaro Pizarro, an oil industry boss who builds influence across both corporate and political arenas in Mexico. The story traces how his strategic decisions, private relationships and rivalries intersect with institutional power, while criminal tactics are used to resolve certain disputes. Scenes move from slick conference rooms to tattered coastal towns, showing how policy and profit ripple through ordinary lives. Personal loyalties shift as alliances form and break, and the narrative keeps focus on the systems and choices that sustain authority rather than on simple moral labels. The result is a study of control, compromise and the costs of maintaining power in a volatile economic sector. It avoids easy answers and favors tough observations.

The film premiered in 1990, directed by Alejandro Pelayo. It was developed from writing by Víctor Hugo Rascón Banda, with Guillermo del Toro credited among the creators, and was produced within Mexican cinema circles during a period of political filmmaking.

Dying in the Gulf had a limited theatrical run and modest box office results, attracting most viewers through regional screenings and festivals rather than wide commercial distribution. It did not register as a mainstream financial success on an international scale.

By situating its drama in the Gulf oil environment, the movie addressed ongoing national debates about resource control and corruption, and it has been referenced in film studies dealing with political subjects. The presence of Guillermo del Toro in the credits also invites curiosity from cinephiles tracking his early collaborations.

Audience and critical response has been mixed, with a modest user rating around 6.0/10 reflecting limited online voting. Commentators have noted the film's focus on political power, moral ambiguity and the mechanisms that tie industry, crime and governance, praising its regional specificity while pointing out uneven pacing and characterization issues.