One Line Review: This French gangster series has everything you’d expect from a show of this genre: drugs, rivalries, betrayals, fights with guns and violence, and murders.
Youtube Trailer Ganglands
Starring: Sami Boujla, Sam Khalili
Director: Victor Petrov
Release Date: 24 September 2021
Introduction
Ganglands, also known as Braqueurs, is a French crime thriller that is now available on Netflix. The 6-episode series was created by Hamid Hlioua and Julien Lecleqcq, with the latter serving as director.
Plot and Analysis
In order to protect his family from a powerful drug cartel, skilled thief Mehdi and his expert team of robbers are drawn into a violent and deadly turf war, according to the official synopsis for Braqueurs on Netflix –
Shainez (Sofia Lesaffre) and Liana (Tracy Gotoas) are two lovers who decide to steal drugs from a drug trafficker in order to make some money. No one could have predicted that their actions would cause such a ruckus among the drug lords who compete in the highly competitive drug market. The items they took belonged to Saber (Salim Kechiouche), who is responsible for the kidnapping of Mehdi’s niece Shainez. Samira (Sami Bouajila) portrays Mehdi, a ruthless thief who goes to any length to protect his family from harm. Liana and Mehdi band together to save their loved ones from the clutches of the bad guys, and they succeed.
Compelling story of an Underdog
This series has a compelling premise, and you’ll be captivated by Liana and Mehdi’s determination to save Shainez at any cost to their lives. In order to make a quick buck, Liana stole drugs. She had no idea that she would end up fighting gangsters.
Additionally, the show gives us a glimpse into Saber’s personal life, as his father and cousin Sofia (Nabiha Akkari) do not believe he is capable of running the family business. Because of how poorly the character is written, this parallel plot does not hold the reader’s attention long enough. I was more interested in seeing how Liana and Mehdi worked together, as well as whether or not they were successful in their rescue mission. I was wrong. The actors Sami Bouajila and Tracy Gotoas have done an excellent job in their respective roles.
Unexpected amount of action
Since the very first episode of Ganglands, the show’s creators have provided us with a plethora of action and gunfire scenes. This continues until the series’ climactic episode is reached. However, anything that is overdone is a mood killer. Despite the high-octane action and violent sequences, the story felt emotionally devoid in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. The mafias in the Netflix series didn’t seem to pose much of a threat, which is unusual for drug lords to say the very least. It would have been a tight-knit crime thriller film if the director had stuck to the Mehdi-Liana plot and thrown in some fantastic action sequences to spice things up.
The series comes to a close on an inquisitive note, with some good moments and some stretched ones. The transformation of Liana’s character after she has been through all kinds of hell is truly amazing to witness.
Final Thoughts on Ganglands, a Netflix Original Series
Aside from a few surprises, the French gangster series has everything you’d expect from a show of this genre: drugs, rivalries, betrayals, fights with guns and violence, and murders. In light of the main characters’ motivations, I found the story to be devoid of emotional depth. It concludes on a cliffhanger, implying that there will be more to follow. Hope it doesn’t get dragged out with fights and guns for another six episodes like it did in the first season.
