[Review] Narcos: Mexico Season 2: The Addictive Drug Isn't Cocaine, It's Power
Narcos: Mexico Season 2 premiered on Netflix on February 13th. I finished watching the entire season in nine days. While some foreign reviews suggested that Season 2's plot was slower and duller, I still found it to be excellent in terms of both character development and plot progression.
Narcos: Mexico Season 1 concluded with American DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena (Michael Peña) being tortured and murdered by the protagonist, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (Diego Luna). As Camarena lay dying, he calmly told Félix, "I know I can't survive much longer, but I know that after I die, you won't survive either." Indeed, Season 2's plot primarily revolves around the cascading consequences of Félix, who manages a massive drug trafficking empire, having killed Camarena. These consequences include the mistrust and fear of his business partners, the American government dispatching agents like Agent Walt Breslin (Scoot McNairy) to gradually close in on Félix's cartel, and the suspicion of Colombian Cali drug supplier Pacho Herrera (Alberto Ammann). This leaves the usually calm and meticulous Félix embattled on all sides, facing immense pressure.
Within Félix's vast drug trafficking empire, everyone desires more money and power. Ambition might be a key to success, but it also triggers conflicts with partners, friction among family members, and even leads to risking everything one possesses for more power. For 1980s Mexico, this was terrifying and tragic; for the audience, it makes for a series of compelling stories.
Beyond detailing how Félix dismantles one crisis after another, Season 2 also features many other highly engaging character storylines, such as Agent Breslin, the American DEA agent determined to bring down Félix's cartel, and Pablo Acosta (Gerardo Taracena), who manages drug smuggling in the Juárez region of Mexico but hopes to retire from the drug trade. Season 2 spends a considerable amount of time developing the backgrounds, inner feelings, and character arcs of these two individuals. This made the beginning somewhat lengthy, but it's precisely thanks to this detailed setup that audiences become deeply invested in both characters. They both receive excellent and satisfying conclusions by the season's end, fully engaging the viewers' emotions. Furthermore, Season 2 also dedicates a small portion to honoring women, depicting how in male-dominated 1980s Mexico, women's capabilities and talents were often underestimated. The female characters in the show leverage this to carve out their own careers.
Of course, we must mention the protagonist, Félix. As one of Mexico's biggest drug lords, facing the betrayals among his partners and the relentless pursuit of American agents, Félix is forced to use lies and increasingly audacious tactics to protect himself. But while protecting himself, he also yearns for even more power. I was particularly impressed by the plot in Episode 8, which demonstrates how Félix's thirst for power could influence the entire historical development of Mexico, making me briefly feel like I was watching House of Cards, another Netflix series. And the charismatic Diego Luna flawlessly portrays Félix's ruthlessness, cold-bloodedness, as well as his moments of weakness and fear when isolated, even showing instances of emotional breakdowns rarely seen in the previous season, all without a hint of dissonance. Diego Luna's acting allows the audience to witness a once-innocent rural policeman who simply wanted to improve his life, step by step transforming into a devil blindly pursuing power and losing his humanity.
Whether it's the unexpected plot developments or the intricate character construction and progression, Narcos: Mexico Season 2 will make crime genre enthusiasts want to binge-watch all ten episodes in one go.