The Promised Land

Marambio, John L., and Chad Tew. "The Promised Land: Resonance and Dissonance of Hollywood's Portrayals of Latin Americans in Film." Studies in Latin American Popular Culture 25, (January 2006): 119-139.

Abstract (via EBSCO Academic Search Premier):

"The article focuses on the interpretation of media text in which Hollywood films often cue Latin American audiences so that it would be appreciated by the American audience. A transparent reading of the structure resembles the Western myth in which a family was victimized by outsiders showing that the larger civilization is threatened. Films like 'El Norte' and 'Traffic,' which present the American audience with options of trust and suspicion, they continue to encourage the U.S. to be seen as the victim. However, Latin American audiences have more exposure to international films, and they have access to imported films from Europe, Asia, and neighboring countries."