Facing El Chapo, directed by Chava Cartas and written by Bernardo Esquinca and Héctor de Mauleón, follows Mexican police officers Arturo Carmona (Alfonso Herrera, Rebel Moon Part 1) and Héctor Rosales (Noé Hernández) as they try to bring in the notorious drug lord, El Chapo, before his people can kill them. But with the clock ticking and the duo unsure whom they can trust, getting their prisoner safely to a cell will take every nerve and strength they can muster.
At the start, Facing El Chapo takes its time setting up the central figure of its tale, Officer Carmona. The first portion of the movie focuses on him, his family, and what events put him in the right place to pick up El Chapo (Héctor Kotsifakis, The Gringo Hunters). While getting to know the protagonist is good, the tension that follows is greatly heightened when you are emotionally invested in a character. The narrative drags a little too much in the opening, making the character exploration a bit of a mixed bag.
Despite some of the start feeling a little overdone, the film succeeds in establishing Carmona and Rosales’ partnership. With the duo just paired together and Rosales new to the area, there is a lack of trust between them that is necessary in their line of work. Doubly so for the situation they are about to find themselves in.
Believability and tension are key components to the success of Facing El Chapo.
How the pair feel each other out is perfect. The friction that initially exists between the duo is just enough that the viewer doesn’t know if it’s there because Rosales is a dishonest cop who will betray Carmona to save his own skin, or if he will come through in the clutch for his new partner. While it is able to create uncertainty, it never feels drummed up for the sake of the plot, but feels like it could be the natural friction between two clashing personalities.
The critical raid by Mexican Marines that sends the drug kingpin into the unwitting path of the protagonists establishes a key component early that makes this film work: a balance between believability and tension. While the threat of violence is pervasive throughout the film, it is used in ways and amounts that make the production believable.
Gang members are willing to kill for the group, but dying needlessly isn’t on the table for most of them. This allows the tension to escalate as you wonder not if, but when a gun will go off during a confrontation.
Led by strong performances, Facing El Chapo is a worthwhile ride.
The realistic level of aggression and confidence displayed by many nameless gang members is also evident in the titular character. While El Chapo spends most of his time on screen threatening Carmona with what will happen if he doesn’t give in to his demands, there are critical moments where the facade of superiority slips. Kotsifakis lets us see just how aware the villain is of his own mortality, especially as the tension builds in the final moments of his confrontation with Carmona.
The climactic scene wraps up the film. It delivers the final ratcheting up of tension, while not betraying the grounded approach the film has managed up until that point. It utilizes some skillful sleight of hand in its delivery, allowing viewers to get caught up in the moment.
Facing El Chapo takes a little too much effort to get going, but once it does, it delivers an engaging ride. The balance of emotion and tension, tempered by an unwillingness to over-dramatize, allows the film to feel real and the end result to be well worth watching.
Facing El Chapo premieres August 21, exclusively on Netflix.