Medellín

When an online influencer (Brahim Bouhlel) is kidnapped by the cartel for impersonating Pablo Escobar, his hot-headed older brother, Reda (Ramzy Bedia), takes it upon himself to travel to Colombia to take on the cartel. His plan gets off to a bad start when it’s only his childhood friends Stan (director Franck Gastambide) and Chafix (Anouar Toubali) who accompany him on his mission. However, events only get messier after a misunderstanding puts the group directly in the sights of the cartel’s vicious leader (Ariel Sierra).

Opening with a frantic car chase down narrow Colombian streets, Medellín lets viewers know exactly what kind of film it is from the outset: it’s a whacky action adventure in which viewers are encouraged to turn their brains off for the next 100 minutes for some fast-paced entertainment. With the bulk of the exposition being dumped in a snappy opening narration, plot takes a back seat in favour of a series of set pieces and gags. Ranging from shootouts to strip clubs, much of what’s here is familiar territory for the genre. However, the trio of stars who co-wrote the script have a knack for escalating their characters’ situations in unexpected and ridiculous ways. Although a scene exchanging hostages seems like the set-up for the climax, this is only the halfway mark. There’s still a lot more action to come.

Not everything in Medellín works, though. For every laugh-out-loud joke, there are just as many that miss the mark, with one of the strangest inclusions being a cameo appearance that comes completely out of nowhere. The bizarre choices only continue to pile on in the final act as the hapless protagonists suddenly become gun-toting action heroes despite having never picked up a weapon before. It’s only at this point, too, does the script attempt to bring an element of emotional storytelling into the plot. Had this been a consistent presence throughout the flick, then the payoff could have worked. As it stands, the ending’s emotional final note is an undeserved one.

Containing bombastic action that only gets wilder as the film goes on, Medellín is an enjoyable romp, which trips up in its final act due to a series of missteps. Although this isn’t a film that’s supposed to be taken seriously, the bodged ending sours the otherwise carefree viewing.

Andrew Murray

Medellín is released on Prime Video on 2^nd June 2023.

Watch the trailer for Medellín here: