For decades, a nomadic band has made the Argentinean rainforest their home, occasionally intimidating and robbing farmers along the river. Now, however, they are working in the service of a company that wants to build a processing plant in the area and have started running farmers off their land, burning their properties, and even killing those who resist. From out of the river itself comes wanderer Kaí (Gael García Bernal, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN) to the farm of Mr. Joao (Chico Díaz, THE STORY OF ME) and his daughter Vania (Alice Braga, CITY OF GOD). Although they trade food for his protection, Kaí us unable to intervene when the nomads - lead by trio of brothers Tarquinho (Claudio Tolcachir, STOLEN MOMENTS), machete-wielding "Hacha" (Iván Steinhardt), and Vando (Julián Tello) - force Joao to sign over his property before killing him in order to make off with Vania (to replace the previous helpmeet who hanged herself). Leaving farm laborer Jara (Lautaro Vilo) behind to recover from his wounds, Kaí tracks the brothers through the jungle setting FIRST BLOOD-esque traps and relying on the other displaced residents of the jungle to maim and kill his prey. Spiriting Vania back to her father's farm, they and Jara prepare for a three against eight final standoff, turning the nomads' own ambush techniques against them. Totally predictable with the sparest characterization - in a manner suggestive of "Man with No Name" westerns but not nearly so clever - and not enough suspense or grue to be truly satisfying, THE BURNING is nevertheless strongly-visualized and suggests the potential of writer/director Pablo Fendrik.