Having just seen the brilliant Narcos series on Netflix, I didn't expect much of this movie. Therefore, I was surprised to be that disappointed.
First,there are the performances by both leads. Josh Hutcherson from Hunger Games fame is so bland. We always feel as though he is somehow surprise of what's happening around him. His girlfriend's uncle is the infamous baron drug Pablo Escobar, for crying out loud! She's honest enough to say that he made his fortune in the drug trade, and, that doesn't change any of his reaction.
And I wasn't more impress by Benecio Del Toro's performance, which I thought was just average, considering the nature of his character.
I had a hard time believing how anybody behaved in the movie, in particular the relationship between Escobar and Nick (Hutchinson's character). Nick is so suspicious and self- cautious, it feel impossible to believe that Escobar would welcome him in his entourage.
The major problem is the screenplay, which is by no means based on real story. I had a hard time figuring out if this was supposed to be some kind of a account of Escobar's life, a thriller, or just a cautionary tale. In any case, it failed on all counts, specifically on the cautionary tale dimension. Nick is never really fully integrated in Escobar's activities, and doesn't get any of the rewards. At best, he is the pool boy of the Escobar haciendas.
Spoiler: The last third of the movie, which many critics have said is full of tension and is considered the "thriller" part of the movie, doesn't even make any sense. Can you really believe that Escobar would ask this gringo to take charge of a sensitive mission, involving hiding part of his fortune and killing someone?
Your time would be better invested in the Netflix series mentioned above, or the documentary (available on you tube) The true story of Killing Pablo.
First,there are the performances by both leads. Josh Hutcherson from Hunger Games fame is so bland. We always feel as though he is somehow surprise of what's happening around him. His girlfriend's uncle is the infamous baron drug Pablo Escobar, for crying out loud! She's honest enough to say that he made his fortune in the drug trade, and, that doesn't change any of his reaction.
And I wasn't more impress by Benecio Del Toro's performance, which I thought was just average, considering the nature of his character.
I had a hard time believing how anybody behaved in the movie, in particular the relationship between Escobar and Nick (Hutchinson's character). Nick is so suspicious and self- cautious, it feel impossible to believe that Escobar would welcome him in his entourage.
The major problem is the screenplay, which is by no means based on real story. I had a hard time figuring out if this was supposed to be some kind of a account of Escobar's life, a thriller, or just a cautionary tale. In any case, it failed on all counts, specifically on the cautionary tale dimension. Nick is never really fully integrated in Escobar's activities, and doesn't get any of the rewards. At best, he is the pool boy of the Escobar haciendas.
Spoiler: The last third of the movie, which many critics have said is full of tension and is considered the "thriller" part of the movie, doesn't even make any sense. Can you really believe that Escobar would ask this gringo to take charge of a sensitive mission, involving hiding part of his fortune and killing someone?
Your time would be better invested in the Netflix series mentioned above, or the documentary (available on you tube) The true story of Killing Pablo.