Escobar: Paradise Lost

Josh Hutcherson plays a surfer living in Colombia, who falls in love with a girl whose uncle is a politician attracted to drug trafficking, played by Benicio del Toro. It's a dark tale about getting caught up with the wrong crowd and not being able to get out. The moral of the story is there but I really got nothing out of it. A period piece set in the 80s, the movie does feel a little chopped together. A lot of Background story seems to go by so fast that I barely notice it from all the one-liners used to tell it. But the hunger games star showed he could front a movie. He was charming and capable of a lot of dramatic tension. Good for him that he does have a seasoned award winning actor like Del Toro supporting him in this movie, but for the most part the whole thing falls on Josh's performance and he came through for me by getting me all up in his situation. Depending on weather you like or dislike Hutcherson, or like me, don't have any feeling for him at all either way, will sway your opinion on the movie. The story is weak and the film making is very centered on the leading man's ability to make you like him.

Wow, you know what they say, don't expect to much because you're only going to end up disappointed, they are right. The only reason why I set up my IMDb account is to warn people not to watch this movie, yes Bennicio del Torro is amazing in it but the rest of the cast is horrible from the main character whatever his name is, who looks all the time like he just realized that he popped in his pants to the love of his life as we are suppose to believe (although there's no chemistry between two of them at all), who overacts like in a Brazilian soap TV show from the 90's. God, this movie has a rating of 6.6 as I'm typing this review, why I ask you? who liked it I really want to know, I guess same people who liked the Twilight movies. Because Yes Benicio is amazing in it as in every movie he's in but movie sucks, it's painful to watch, don;t watch it, or do I don't care, but I warned you so don't complain later, I'll give it a 2 cause of Del Toros performance. Waisted potential.

Having just seen the brilliant Narcos series on Netflix, I didn't expect much of this movie. Therefore, I was surprised to be that disappointed. First,there are the performances by both leads. Josh Hutcherson from Hunger Games fame is so bland. We always feel as though he is somehow surprise of what's happening around him. His girlfriend's uncle is the infamous baron drug Pablo Escobar, for crying out loud! She's honest enough to say that he made his fortune in the drug trade, and, that doesn't change any of his reaction. And I wasn't more impress by Benecio Del Toro's performance, which I thought was just average, considering the nature of his character. I had a hard time believing how anybody behaved in the movie, in particular the relationship between Escobar and Nick (Hutchinson's character). Nick is so suspicious and self- cautious, it feel impossible to believe that Escobar would welcome him in his entourage. The major problem is the screenplay, which is by no means based on real story. I had a hard time figuring out if this was supposed to be some kind of a account of Escobar's life, a thriller, or just a cautionary tale. In any case, it failed on all counts, specifically on the cautionary tale dimension. Nick is never really fully integrated in Escobar's activities, and doesn't get any of the rewards. At best, he is the pool boy of the Escobar haciendas. Spoiler: The last third of the movie, which many critics have said is full of tension and is considered the "thriller" part of the movie, doesn't even make any sense. Can you really believe that Escobar would ask this gringo to take charge of a sensitive mission, involving hiding part of his fortune and killing someone? Your time would be better invested in the Netflix series mentioned above, or the documentary (available on you tube) The true story of Killing Pablo.

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source: Escobar: Paradise Lost

I went into this film knowing very little about who Escobar was, so I went through an experience similar to the main character in the film, as he realized that he had encountered one of the devil's true incarnations on Earth. Escobar, as portrayed in the film is a figure of mythical proportions, someone whose deeds are really difficult to believe because it seems almost impossible a human being is capable of committing such actions. Del Toro, in a towering performance that is at least worthy of an Oscar nomination, makes Escobar come alive, though they are not very similar physically, but the behavior, the charm, very similar to a snake's, one that you can't ignore or walk away, though you know it's lethal. Escobar in the film grows from just a man who has immense amounts of money at his disposal to someone who commands much power through the darkest of means. The story in the film doesn't dwell on Escobar in biographical terms. It deals with a Canadian young man who happens to fall in love with Maria, Escobar's niece, and little by little, realizes he might have just wandered into a nightmare that will have serious consequences for him and his closest relatives. Nick is welcomed into a world that doesn't make any sense to him, a world populated by people who have amassed insane amounts of money and flaunt it ostentatiously to anyone who attends their social functions. It is obvious they are "new money" because many of the women walk around in outfits that are expensive and mostly having the color gold. They sometimes appear out of place when they are wearing an expensive gown in the middle of the day, or we see outrageous presents given to each other. Eventually Nick discovers how deep the darkness is. He finds some of Escobar's associates washing blood off themselves. He begins to see that some of the looks he's given are a bit on the threatening or intimidating side. It is uncomfortable, and as the situation changes for Escobar, so do the plans he has for Nick. The last third of film deals with the way Nick has to find a way back so safety and escape the worst of fates. This film has some of the most exciting pieces I have seen in 2015, and the tension mounts, as Del Toro's quick directives to dictate Nick's ultimate fate. There are some chilling scenes where we hear Escobar's interactions with his family, while he juggles a change of plans in order to ensure the demise of his enemies. It's not an epic masterpiece, but a good film that shows a dark period in Colombia, the depiction of a monster at his worst, wonderfully played by Del Toro, who is able to show whatever exists in the soul of this complex criminal. If you didn't know anything about this piece of history, you will definitely be interested by the time the film's last frame ends.

Entertaining! Paradise Lost tells the story of a foreigner who goes to Colombia with his brother to open a surfing school and ends up falling in love with the niece of the infamous Pablo Escobar, the drug warlord. As you can imagine, his life spirals into chaos as soon as he starts getting serious with that girl. While he seems to be in good terms with the mafia clan at the beginning, as soon as Escobar's life gets complicated and justice tries to trap him, the lives of those around him follow the same disastrous path. The tension of the movie comes from never knowing if the protagonist's love for his girl is going to be strong enough to put up with living with one of the most dangerous guys on earth at the time, or whether he is going to escape from the obviously choosing the wrong path. It's hard to tell if the movie is based on true events, (google can clarify that I'm sure) but either way, the film might easily have some resemblance with reality, since it is well known by everyone who Escobar was and how ruthless a man he came to be. I would honestly not hesitate to watch it as a good Sunday afternoon movie. But bear in mind, it's also the type of film that you will easily forget.

I guess a role like that in Hunger Games can make comparisons like that easy. Also if you spend most of the time with Josh instead of Benicio (playing Escobar) you might feel tempted to question what the movie is actually about. But there are hints at the beginning which become bigger towards the end. I'm not sure, that's how Escobar actually was. But the man depicted is anything but a Saint, even if he might have done some nice things for his people. Obviously some things are heightened for movie purposes especially towards the end. The suspense is there, but the movie might be even better, if there was more of Escobar. His character being mesmerizing every time he is on screen. But maybe that was the reason. He came off too good and therefor might have confused people (again especially towards the end) ... Decent effort of a real crime thriller

Josh Hutcherson plays a surfer living in Colombia, who falls in love with a girl whose uncle is a politician attracted to drug trafficking, played by Benicio del Toro. It's a dark tale about getting caught up with the wrong crowd and not being able to get out. The moral of the story is there but I really got nothing out of it. A period piece set in the 80s, the movie does feel a little chopped together. A lot of Background story seems to go by so fast that I barely notice it from all the one-liners used to tell it. But the hunger games star showed he could front a movie. He was charming and capable of a lot of dramatic tension. Good for him that he does have a seasoned award winning actor like Del Toro supporting him in this movie, but for the most part the whole thing falls on Josh's performance and he came through for me by getting me all up in his situation. Depending on weather you like or dislike Hutcherson, or like me, don't have any feeling for him at all either way, will sway your opinion on the movie. The story is weak and the film making is very centered on the leading man's ability to make you like him.

I wasn't expecting much out of this film. But I do enjoy del Toro, as well as Hutcherson, so I thought I'd give it a shot. It was a little fast in some parts, but overall not a terrible film. For those saying it was based on true events, that's a big stretch. Nowhere does it say that it is based on true events. The movie is very loosely based around the final years of Pablo Escobar. Think of it like Titanic, true event, fictional characters. Neither Hutchersons or Traisacs characters actually existed. As for the ending, it's pretty obvious what happens, even if you don't see it happen on screen. I would have liked a little more explanation as to how characters ended up where they were through the film, but the movie doesn't lose anything because of it. In the end, it was an OK film with some wonderful acting. Worth a watch.