Blood in Blood Out (also known as Bound by Honor) is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Taylor Hackford. It follows the intertwining lives of the three Chicano relatives, Miklo (Damian Chapa), Cruz (Jesse Borrego) and Paco (Benjamin Bratt) from 1972 to the mid 1980s. They start out as members of the street gang Vatos Locos in East Los Angeles, and as dramatic incidents occur, their lives and friendships are forever changed. Blood in Blood Out was filmed throughout the Spanish-speaking areas of Los Angeles and inside California's San Quentin State Prison.

Synopsis

Miklo (Damian Chapa) is a man of mixed ethnicity mexican and white who, before coming to live with his cousins, attacked his father. Miklo has a Mexican accent however, his white appearance (fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes) from his White father has made him less accepted among the people of El Pico Aliso barrio, where they have all grown up. It has also earned him the nickname "Milkweed."
On his return from juvenile hall, Miklo visits his mother, who is actually the younger sister of Paco's mother, and proves himself worthy for the gang when he performs an attack on a rival gang, Tres Puntos. His assault earns him a placa, a tattoo as a token of his membership in the Vatos Locos mate street gang. However, the Tres Puntos gang soon takes revenge by brutally attacking Cruz and damaging his back for life. When Vatos Locos learn of the attack, they perform a well-planned counterattack ending dramatically with the murder of the rival gang's leader (Spider). While trying to escape, Miklo and Paco (Benjamin Bratt) are apprehended by the police.