Bandidos is a seven-part Mexican adventure drama series released on Netflix on March 13, 2024. It was created by Pablo Tébar and produced by Stacy Perskie. Each episode has a runtime of about 42-47 minutes and is available with English dubbing.
The series follows a group of skilled adventurers who embark on a mission to uncover a long-lost Mayan treasure. Their plan is unclear and their dynamic is off, but luckily they are a resourceful bunch.
The cast of the series includes Ester Expósito as Lilí, Alfonso Dosal as Miguel, Juan Pablo Medina as Wilson, Mabel Cadena as Inés, Nicolás Furtado as Octavio, Andrés Baida as Ariel, Andrea Chaparro as Citlali, Juan Pablo Fuentes as Lucas, Bruno Bichir as Juan Morales, Fermín Martínez as Inspector Cancho and others.
Bandidos Review
As the curtains draw open, a scene of impending danger unfolds before us. A group of notorious bandits gathers with their eyes gleaming with an insatiable desire for the elusive treasure that has been whispered about for centuries. The treasure’s location is shrouded in mystery, and no one has ever successfully claimed it. It is said to be guarded by ancient magic, and only the bravest and most cunning can hope to unravel the secrets that protect it. We are then taken five days back when Miguel, son of a famous archaeologist comes across a guest while working at the resort.
The guest turns out to be a successor of an emperor, who hid a chest full of Mayan treasure deep in the Gulf of Mexico. The guest shows him the map to the treasure which he tattoed on his abdomen. He seeks Miguel’s father, Juan Morales help to uncover the puzzle but doesn’t know that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s. As for Miguel, he has been his father’s partner on all adventures since childhood and decides to embark on this journey, to retrieve endless gold and a precious gold Jaguar, no one has ever been able to find.
For a perfect mission, he gathers his team of perfect bandits, including his ex-girlfriend but savvy Lili, his scamster uncle, tech genius Lucas – who acts as the hacker in every heist story, Citlali – a petty local thief with extraordinary diving skills, Octavio – an ex-military man with loads of experience in big heists, and Ines, an honest police officer who realises that to survive, she needs to get her hands dirty as well. But the only problem is that they are not the only ones who are after this treasure.
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The guest that filled Miguel with treasure ambitions soon ends up dead, with the tattooed map ripped out of his body. The mysterious and brutal men keep an eye on Miguel but he also becomes a suspect in the man’s murder. With the police and another gang on their trail, the group of bandits undergo a series of unfortunate mishaps but risk absolutely everything to reach the destination, full of adventure and gold.
The first word that comes to mind while watching the series is – fun. Bandidos are quite funny to watch as they are not your typical group of thieves. They may have resorted to the world of crime to survive but they are far from being smooth masterminds that could complete missions without any hiccups. Their clumsy and quirky personalities add an entertaining factor to the story. Along with it, the visual style grabs your attention as well. For example, the creators use game-like graphics to express the thought process of Lucas and illusions are often transitioned in between, to show different characters’ inner wishes.
Also, the characters are quite layered. They are not exactly as they seem but have layers to them that unfold as the show progresses. Therefore, even if you think the show is becoming predictable, they throw you off with something that you wouldn’t have expected. Especially the character of Lili shines the most, as she charms her way throughout with her efficient skills. But it also leaves a gap for wanting to know more, as we see that Lili is being pursued by some bad guys but the story never indulges in her back story or what is even her true name. Miguel is shown to be head over heels in love with her but we never see what went down between them.
While the journey to uncover the treasure is enjoyable to watch, oftentimes we aren’t able to connect with the characters – as we don’t know much about them. If only they had indulged a bit more in their personal lives, apart from the group’s adventures together, then it would have been a complete package of thrill, adventure, emotions, action and drama. Yet it’s a small lacking point that shouldn’t stop anyone from watching this entertaining series.
Rating: 3.5/5
Bandidos is available to watch on Netflix.
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