Supelice
Dreadfully Boring
Curapedi
I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
Myron Clemons
A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
mail-2217
I originally watched this on NBC when it aired. The more 'R' rated is slightly better.It's sort of a Mexican version of The Sopranos. If you like that sort of thing you'll probably like this as well.I have to say that for network TV it's as good as it gets. I think it's problem was that it was too far ahead of it's time. It was certainly ahead of anything else at the time on 'network' in terms of complexity and realism. The proof is that the DVD holds up very well and in fact, with the state of things in Mexico, seems even more relevant now.I cannot for the -life- of me understand why this didn't have a good long run... except that, again, I think the US wasn't ready for it. I think if it had been made today, on HBO, it would do great.I took it down 1 because you may sense some 'Network TV' flavor, but that's only if you're expecting something as truly gritty as Breaking Bad... which is almost 20 years after.To this day, the portrayals of Mexicans in various roles hasn't been approached. These are some of the most memorable characters I have ever seen on TV.I also want to praise the music editor. The music selections were -miles- ahead of the competition. For a lot of people, Kingpin was their introduction to some a wide variety of great artists such as Leila Downes.
rmalmeida
It's been a long time since I've seen such a well enacted and so realistic TV Series.It seems that the "narcotraficantes", some of whom I would call "NACOtraficantes" are just as real as the ones who vandalize and terrify Mexican life in the border as of today.It is somehow awkward the mix of English and Spanish and I just wonder if this is the kind of language spoken in the US-Mexican border. I've been to Laredo/Nuevo Laredo once and indeed it seems to be like this.It is also true that today the blood bath seems to be many times worse than when the movie was filmed.It's a shame that the series has been shut down.A friend of mine lent me the three DVDs and I couldn't stop until I saw all the episodes.
vbalbuena
All I have to say is, that this is the best movie I have seen, a movie that actually reflects on what happens when politics are involved. This has nothing to do with Mexican or American, it's all politics people. The same thing takes place here in the United States, but we just don't know it, if it happens in Mexico, it happens in the US too. If the government really wanted to stop drugs from hitting our streets, they have the resources to do so, but why won't they do anything. Why destroy what puts food on there table, if the government stopped everything we wouldn't have the need for so many jobs to supposedly contain the issue. The governments point of view is to create jobs and there you have it, they have to turn a blind eye to keep the unemployed line down. This is my thought!
Astraether
As a fan of "The Sopranos," I was perhaps a little reluctant to watch "Kingpin," since I felt that nothing could really surpass "The Sopranos" in my affections. Nonetheless, a friend had bought me the miniseries DVD for my birthday, so with no other excuse at hand, I watched it.And I loved it. There are only six episodes, each an hour long, but it took me only 'til about the second before I was hooked. The acting is excellent, and I'm left wondering why I haven't heard of or seen these actors before. Each character was sympathetic and interesting; even the ones you're probably "supposed" to hate, and it was difficult deciding who exactly to root for. I especially liked the relationship between Miguel and his brother, Chato -- one of trust and closeness instead of the deceit and backstabbing that's all too common in shows along the same lines.Agent Flores and Miguel's wife, Marlene, were also both very appealing, as strong, independent female characters who have their own complexities and motivations, rather than being overshadowed by the male characters. And I can't forget the particularly comic relationship between the doctor played by Benben, and his "thug" friend, Junie. The show provided a number of unexpected and unique twists on an old theme.Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the show never took off. Maybe it was too expensive to produce, maybe it didn't get enough support from NBC, or maybe (and I hope this isn't the case), it slipped because it was not a predominantly white cast; most of the characters were Hispanic/Latino. That seems a particular shame, if it is the reason "Kingpin" never succeeded, since its cast was truly talented and I would have liked to see some of those actors get a definite career boost.Still, at least it's available to rent, and I highly recommend giving it a shot. Even if you're a hardcore "Sopranos" lover, like I am, don't let the comparison deter you! They're similar in that they're about criminal families, but they each have a very different feel and flavor, and you'll only be robbing yourself of something new to enjoy.I just wish there were /more/ of it to enjoy!
