ZeroZeroZero

The talented Stefano Sollima (Sicario 2, Suburra) serves up a cross between Sicario and Narcos in seven hours, and as expected it's solid stuff. The story has three intertwining storylines, divided into seller, buyer and broker, all connected by one big shipment of cocaine, the transportation of which is not without obstacles. It is shot in an almost Hollywood style, so you can see the budget, the actors are great, there is no shortage of violence and a few scenes stuck in my mind. We have a look Calabria, Mexico, Africa and even Muslims, so there's something for everyone. I enjoy these crime and mafia power struggles a lot, and of course I enjoyed the scenes in Mexico the most, which were the closest to Narcos, and also Italy, which was reminiscent of pure Italian gangster movies. Intelligent, complex and mature filmmaking, admirable for a TV production. The best character is the Mexican madman Harold Torres! And my only criticism of the series is that it took me some two episodes to fully immerse myself in it, but otherwise satisfaction. Story*****, Action****, Humor>No, Violence****, Entertainment****, Music****, Visual****, Atmosphere****, Suspense****. 8/10. (01.08.2020)

Roberto Saviano is an investigative journalist who angered the Italian underworld bosses so much with his book about the Camorra that he has to spend the rest of his life in barracks under police protection and wherever he goes, he is accompanied by a large group of bodyguards. However, this unfavorable lifestyle allows him enough peace and time for his work. This is how a new book came into being, which the Italian team fully utilized and created a series that is among the best in television production in recent years. The Italian peninsula is small for Saviano, so he focused on the global drug business. He maps the journey of cocaine from the American continent to Europe. It is a bloody journey accompanied by corruption, clashes with competition, and interventions by state power. The viewer follows three storylines that eventually intersect, and four groups of players who participate in the dirty business. Someone becomes a winner, while someone else pays the highest price. The series resembles the title of an older Soderbergh film, Traffic. Don't expect positive characters here, they have little significance as victims of ruthless predators. The series is not diluted by a large number of episodes and therefore contains no filler. Its main value lies in the characters - cunning, hard as granite, willing to take risks, and ruthless as Nemesis. For genre fans, it is a treat that would be a mistake to miss. Overall impression: 95%. (12.03.2021)

Just how many trials and tribulations does poor old cocaine have to go through to reach the junkies of Europe? It reminded me a little of the bullets in Lord of War, just strung out to last eight hours. 000 has excellent, expansive production design. Monterrey, part of the US-African supply line (this is the best viewing) and of course beautiful Calabria, where Don waits for his package. The way it’s all tied together through flashbacks is excellent for building up the tension, although it takes a little while to get used to. The actors are confident in their roles. The screenplay is annoying at times, especially when it slips into boring, sleep-inducing routine. It should have had more editing, maybe even cutting out a whole episode to keep the story from losing pace. The best scenes include the ravenous pigs that are always ready to help out their masters. Italians solve problems the old-fashioned way. (25.05.2020)