Leal, solo hay una forma de vivir

Leal is a Paraguayan and Argentine film that reports the daily struggle of the anti-narcotics squad (SENAD) against South American organized crime: the famous cartels. A simple, uncomplicated film.

Paraguayan humor is funny, but not for everyone, in part because it takes into account local folklore. As a Brazilian, I understood most of the references, but I can see people in this globalized world not understanding some of the themes.

The plot is simple: minimal beef between cartels; SENAD wants to arrest the powerful boss. However, they can't get enough evidence for a case, so they keep a close eye on the cartel to find anything that works. Ex-Machina helps SENAD at one point.

The climax is, of course, the final apprehension. A bit forced, for my taste, but true to reality to a certain extent.

A simplistic film with no ambitions. Watch it calmly with a little popcorn if you want to see something different by independent producers.

I expected far more from this film from Paraguay. It is so unusual too to see a movie from this country. The opening scene, before the opening crédits, is purely amazing. So terrfic villain to present. But the rest is so lousy, so predictable and ankwardly done, except one or two more sequences with the villain, who looks like a MAFIOSA series Corsican gangsters. I was bored with this feature that I watched it on forward button pushing phase.

Depiction of cartels aside (apparently this is quite accurate if that is what you are here for), the movie itself feels quite like a throwback. And this does not have to be a bad or good thing. It just feels like a movie from the 80s or something, where you had different characters form a group of people who came together to fight a bigger enemy.

Now there is some charisma behind them, and the usual cliches are there for everyone to see. Action scenes are more than decent enough, so if the story floats your boar, you could do worse.

Fine first Paraguayan film in NETFLIX. Very life-true depiction of drug dealers and the corresponding Secretariat (Ministry level) in charge of combat them. The North of the country is affected, mostly. Fine performances, good script, if rather cliched, and good direction and cinematography.

A refreshing take on cartels since we are in Paraguay and, for once, not in Mexico or in the USA. The plot follows the work of a special unit of badass underdogs, committed to take down a local cartel leader. The characters are stereotypes but overall likeable and the plot, evens though predictable, it's entertaining.

Overall an average cartel movie that mixes humor and action.