The Pablo Escobar story is one that seems to get better with retelling. Steeped in rumour, ruthless violence, drug wars, narrow escapes and the Colombian drug lord ‘s disputed end, it ‘s no wonder that Netflix has added the legend to its original series catalogue in ‘Narcos ‘ (2015).
A 10-episode crime drama that tells the fictionalised true story of Escobar ‘s rise to notoriety in the early 70s.
Starring Wagner Moura as Escobar, the series is set in Colombia where DEA agent Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) is tasked with bringing the kingpin down.
Acting as the English-speaking narrator in a chronicle that mostly speaks Spanish with English subtitles, Murphy doggedly pursues Escobar with the help of DEA agent Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal) while offering insight into the unfolding events.
Events which the audience is constantly reminded are true through the use of archival photographs and footage interwoven through the narrative as if to say: Yes, this sh*t really went down.
Unbelievable as it all seems, the bloodbaths, buried millions, daring escapes and all that cocaine, its repercussions and the resultant war on drugs in the United States seriously happened and the incredulity of events is underscored through the narrator ‘s tone which is often suitably astonished.
Though the tale is a familiar one, ‘Narcos ‘ brings the key players to life through a parade of pivotal moments in a tense drama that considers Escobar ‘s legacy with regard to its effects on Colombia and the United States where DEA agents saw drug dealers change from ‘hippies in flip-flops ‘ to young dispensable Colombians with machine guns… and cocaine.
Estimated to have brought in over US$400 million a week at the peak of a two-decade career that cost at least 4 000 lives strewn across bloody battles the casualties of which included civilians, informants, DEA agents, policemen and even members of congress, the billionaire Medellin cartel boss ‘ story is one that needs little embellishment.
Well acted, authentic in its use of the Spanish language and well worth seeing once you get through an episode or two, ‘Narcos ‘ is another win for Netflix Originals which include ‘House of Cards ‘ and ‘Orange is the New Black ‘.
Stream this if you ‘re interested in the fictionalised history of a man who, at his peak, supplied 80% of the world ‘s cocaine and smuggled over 15 tonnes of the stuff into the US per day. A feat which allowed him to burn US$2 million of it to keep warm while on the run which certainly proves the show ‘s promising if not cheesy tag line: ‘There ‘s no business like blow business ‘.
