Cangaço Novo

If you are going to watch this series, be prepared to feel a mix of every feeling a human can feel: angry, sadness, joy, anxiety, disgust.

What you will watch is a very stereotypical vision of northeast culture, along with very accurate elements of the day to day life of these fearless, struggling and suffering people. If you can watch this in Portuguese - its original language, you will see how rich, diverse and unique is their vocabulary.

It is incredible to watch the story and growth of Ubaldo, which is the same as a lot of people from Brazil's northeast: they migrate to São Paulo seeking a better life but they struggle there and always end up coming back to their "terrinha".

So interesting to see Ubaldo reganing his own identy, stolen from him when he was just a little boy. Not to mention the strong women on the plot, they own every single scene.

You will get attached to characters with real deep motivations, even though they are cangaceiros, the bad guys.

Stunning production, brilliant performance, and the end leaves mragin to a next season. I did not expect to watch such a well made Brazillian production. Nice one!

Available at Amazon Prime.

Cangaço Novo (New Bandits) is a brazilian streaming show that follows the protagonist Ubaldo Vaqueiro in his descend to the criminal world to pay for his father medical bills. After discovering that he has an extended family far away he chases this chance of easy inheritance money but finds himself following the footsteps of his birth father into a world he was not familiarized.

The cast is perfectly selected and there isn't really any weak point in this regard. The main cast (Ubaldo, Dinorah, Dilvânia, Sabiá) is very solid. Ubaldo shows his turn into a criminal with subtlety. While Dinorah is a force of nature in her way of living instinctively and violently always, and contrasting with Dilvânia in her sweetness and caring nature.

The cinematography and production design at real locations give the show the roughness looks it needs to sell all the hardlife these people has to go through and why many chooses the path of criminality.

The show adopts a naturalistic editing style with some exceptions like an hallucination sequence that features some historic figures from brazilian history (for non-brazilians the scene might seem random and confusing). The show also chooses to start the episodes with flashbacks to slowly fill in the viewer about an important event from the protagonist's past.

There is a lot of violence shown (shots, runnovers, etc) that is necessary for the type of story that is being told. There is very mild and quick nudity scenes shown, some for comedy purposes other than in sex scenes.

The show has a proper ending, differing from the usual cliffhanger season endings many shows use. Not saying the ending doesn't have misteries to be discussed, but it is a proper ending.

Awesome show from start to finish. Instead of rating each episode, I couldn't find a weak one so ill just rate it an overall 10. It had a authentic feel to it. In my honest opinion, it felt like the movie Heat. It great casting, the writing was well done. Each character had their own thing going on but it was just enough time for you to understand each one. Nothing felt rushed. Action, suspense and the writing was legit. You can easily binge all 8 episodes. No cliff hangers really just a plot that has you curious for more. Its has an authentic feel to it so If you're into heist series or movies, this is a must watch!

Cangaço Novo (2023), now streaming on Amazon Prime, takes audiences on a captivating exploration of the world of Brazilian cangaço, infusing it with a modern essence that revitalizes the genre.

The series delves deep into themes of loyalty, honor, and the unyielding human spirit in the face of adversity, resulting in an engaging and intellectually enriching viewing experience.

Notably, the show excels in crafting well-rounded characters, fostering a profound connection with each character's motivations and emotions. The dialogues are immersive and enthralling, providing insights into the intricate tapestry of relationships and alliances that define the cangaço way of life.

The exceptional performances by the cast and a dynamic storyline effortlessly seize the viewer's attention from start to finish, making Cangaço Novo a truly compelling and immersive journey.

SEASON 1 (4/5)

A great Brazilian show that doesn't shy to be unfair and crude about its depiction of corruption and criminalization. It's a grounded story with some exciting heists and gunfights but the message is clear, nobody wins here when there is no fairness. Some situations are very frustrating as the antagonists can be loud, and immature, and still have a win.

It can be confusing sometimes to follow the characters since despite being clearly there to steal money, take advantage of vulnerable people, and kill anyone who prevents them they are also there to save their city and protect the poor population from corrupt politics. It's not a swift change but seeing the gangsters playing the "good guys" after doing some atrocities at the beginning is maybe too much.