Pancho Villa. El Centauro del Norte

This series tells the incredible story of Pancho Villa in an amazing way. The show stays true to the actual history of Villa and of the Mexican Revolution. Certain parts are dramatized but overall, it is historically accurate. From his early childhood, to his beginnings as a bandit roaming the northern Mexican country side, his reputation as the Mexican Robin Hood, to the start of the revolution, the story of his movie being filmed in the middle of a war zone, this series tells it all and so much more. If you wish to learn more about Pancho Villa or the revolution, than this show will tell you all you need to know.

Viva mi General Francisco Villa!

I was hesitant to watch the series fearing it would glorify Pancho Villa rather than explore the complexities of Doroteo Arango, the real man behind the mythological hero of the Mexican Revolution.

As a historical enthusiast, I loved the dramatizations of historical events and depictions of important political figures and participants of the revolution. The series paints a collage of unfolding events while exploring the good, bad and ugly of Villa in a digestible manner.

Aside from the obvious limited resources the creators of this series pull off a fantastic trek through Mexico depicting famous battles, convoluted power struggles and at times a dark but realistic-portrayal of war.

I would have loved for the creators to have had more time and money to produce their full-visión. At times, it loses its shine or luster. I enjoyed the surrealist approach to help explore deeper themes. Here is where I would have loved for them to truly focus more on the cinematography to produce imaginative nightmarish like sequences, yet I enjoyed how they pulled it off enough to draw my imagination. The surrealist approach made me think of the book Pedro Para by Juan Rulfo, a famous Mexican work of art that delves into surrealism.

After all, it's refreshing to see Pancho Villa depicted as a human being rather than a mere characterization we so often see.

The series serves as a great introduction to Pancho Villa for those who know nothing about him or the Mexican Revolution, yet a fun ride for enthusiast as well.