Bound by Honor (1993)
An epic story of three brothers. Bound by blood. Divided by fate. Driven by destiny.
Keywords
Bound by Honor rating: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic
IMDb7.9/10· 37K votes
Rotten Tomatoes64%
Metacritic47%
TMDb8.155/10· 2K votesWith 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, backed by 7.9/10 on IMDb and 47/100 on Metacritic, critical reception of this film has been mixed.
About Bound by Honor
Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on half-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a "home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his "carnal", Miklo.
Cast of Bound by Honor
Damian Chapa
as Miklo
Jesse Borrego
as Cruz
Benjamin Bratt
as Paco
Enrique Castillo
as Montana
Victor Rivers
as Magic Mike
Delroy Lindo
as Bonafide
Tom Towles
as Red Ryder
Carlos Carrasco
as Popeye
Teddy Wilson
as Wallace
Raymond Cruz
as Chuey
Valente Rodriguez
as Frankie
Lanny Flaherty
as Big Al
Bound by Honor facts
- Budget
- $35M
- Box office
- $4.5M
Ranked by the iRankMovies editorial teamUpdated August 2026MethodologyData sources
Audience opinions
What the audience liked
- •Cholo gang drama captures authentic east los angeles cultural specificity
- •Artist subplot adds nuance to street drama beyond conventional violence
- •Crime story explores systemic ghetto pressures and desperation authentically
What the audience disliked
- •Drug narrative occasionally glorifies criminal lifestyle unnecessarily
- •Taylor Hackford pacing meanders through extended scene repetition
Trailer
Where to watch Bound by Honor(US)
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