Sayen is the kind of film that ultimately feels like it was written by a focus group: ample representation for a worthy cause funneled into the sort of escapism that should theoretically hit the widest demographic possible. But even with its solid production values and a determined performance by Rallen Montenegro, the film lacks the emotional bite that a less corporate-driven project likely would've had. It's not that Sayen comes off insincere about the plight of Indigenous peoples in Chile; it's that its desire to appear sincere stops most of its good ideas halfway. The action isn't particularly thrilling, the story doesn't develop so much as it stretches itself thin, and its supposed representation begins and ends with some terribly obvious—borderline tokenistic—scenes and character types.

Rallen Montenegro is probably the best thing that Sayen has going for it, although her performance—while an impressive showcase of both fear and nerves of steel—seems to be stifled by the material. You'd think a character like Sayen would be at least a little messier and human, given what she's made to go through. But the film wants her to become a sort of John Wick figure, which isn't bad in theory (again, it's what the focus group seems to have decided is popular) but neuters the film of the opportunity to connect with its characters' cultural roots.