In the last half of the twentieth century, Pablo Escobar reigned supreme in the world of drug trafficking. And his life, filled with Hollywood-esque dramatics, has long been a source of cinematic recreation. Yet, while many attempts have fallen short, Netflix’s newest endeavor, Narcos, puts a unique twist on Colombia’s most notorious bad guy.
Narcos premiered on August 28th with 10 power-packed episodes. The show, which tells the tale of Escobar’s rise to power, squeezes as much historical relevance as it does cast members into every hour.
Seasoned Brazilian actor, Wagner Moura, assumes the role of Escobar, maintaining a calculated stoicism that proves to be more frightening than any volatile outburst. He is pursued by American DEA agents, Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal), a pair of hard-asses who are relentless in their quest for justice.
Narcos is unique in that the majority of characters’ dialogue is spoken in Spanish as opposed to a bunch of Latin actors speaking in English with a Spanish accent. Thus, audiences follow along with subtitles which gives the show an air of authenticity and doesn’t “Americanize,†it too much.
At the same time, the series is fraught with drawling narration from Murphy (a gruff-voiced West Virginian), who, between butting heads with Peña, rattles off nifty anecdotes about the cocaine boom of the 1980’s and describes his hatred for Escobar’s dirty dealings.
Like so many power-hungry men, Escobar wants to maintain his rule over not just his immediate associates in the MedellÃn Cartel, but also the entire country of Colombia. By using sophisticated street smarts and ruthless intimidation, he is able to outsmart pretty much everybody.
The audacity with which Escobar conducts himself is astounding—even more so when you remember that this stuff is all true. And in the meantime, Murphy and Peña, along with countless military personnel, the CIA and even the president of Colombia, have to gnash their teeth while Escobar weasels his way out of every trap.
Narcos does a seamless job of depicting the duality with which Escobar lives. We see a man who, without missing a beat while playing soccer with his son, dispenses hit men and organizes car bombings and kidnappings.
Yet, even with Escobar seemingly always having the upper hand he is never able to truly relax. Murphy and his team make sure of that with frequent raids of Escobar’s many homes and businesses, oftentimes just missing their target.
The world of Narcos proves to be a dizzying mixture of violence, power and suspense. Escobar stops at nothing to overpower his enemies, leaving behind him a trail of bloodied bodies and ruined lives. Because where there is loyalty there is bribery and where there is brotherhood there is betrayal.
The fast pace of the show, and the supreme intelligence demonstrated by both sides proves to be a winning formula for a story that needs no extra padding. Escobar commands the screen and is now leading the charge into a second season. Those who are smart will definitely keep a lookout.
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