Berlin is not Money Heist: too much love and not enough action

Berlin He's back and looks the same as ever. He is cold, maniacal and unexpectedly good. This time he will have a starring role, in a spin-off, named after him, available since December 29 on Netflix. The new story, placed temporally before the events of The Paper House, takes place at Pariswhere Berlin, starring Pedro Alonso, is busy with a new robbery, planned together with his old gang, the one he is most fond of and with whom he pulled off the best heists. The group is composed by Damian (Tristán Ulloa), his closest collaborator, Keila (Michelle Jenner) shy and silent hacker, Roy (Julio Peña Fernández) methodical and disciplined, Bruce (Joel Sánchez) a little tacky but effective at work and Cameron (Begoña Vargas) charming and lethal, the latest to join the clique. Their goal is certainly ambitious: it is the Chez Vienot auction house, where jewels worth 44 million euros are kept. To hinder the plans there will be two policewomen already known to fans of the series: Alicia Sierra And Raquel Murillobut not only that, Berlin will have to deal with his feelings, he will in fact be surprised by an unexpected love at first sight.

BLUE MONKEYS (L to R) JOEL SANCHEZ as BRUCE, JULIO PEñA as ROI, MICHELLE JENNER as KEILA, TRISTáN ULLOA as DAMIáN in episode 01 of BLUE MONKEYS. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2022TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX

Giving new life to one of Netflix's most beloved series wasn't easy at all. The choice to leave the original story, now saturated and devoid of any possible development, and focus on a new narrative thread was certainly the best, but the surrender is not so successful. Anyone expecting to relive the atmosphere and sensations of the first seasons will surely be disappointed, partly because the novelty effect has vanished for years now, and partly because the scheme made up of scale models, robberies and feelings is starting to to be redundant, not very effective and not at all exciting. From the first episodes the change of direction is clear, there is a lot of focus on love and feelings, with a couples game that recalls those of the teen drama and which have little to do with the previous seasons of the series. A new tone, which inevitably will not be able to satisfy those who knew Berlin during the coup with the Professor, Tokyo, Rio and his other former companions, in which feelings were present but were not the main course.

The authors therefore abandon the original nature of the House of Paper, and perhaps for this reason they fill Berlin of references and winks to the characters present, as if they were an attempt not to completely detach themselves from the House of paper and keep the most loyal fans happy. The game doesn't hold up, makes the change of attitude successful, but not the series as a whole. The aesthetic care in the creation is unquestionable, just as the performances of the leading actors are good, and it is difficult not to appreciate Pedro Alonso, once again perfect in giving us the best version of the criminal gentleman who is Berlin. Among the other members of the band, he stands out Michelle Jennergood at giving life to a character who is perhaps stereotyped, but still credible, among those who could have greater development in a possible sequel.

BLUE MONKEYS BEGONA VARGAS as CAMERON JOEL SANCHEZ as BRUCE TRISTN ULLOA as DAMIN PEDRO ALONSO as BERLín MICHELLE...
BLUE MONKEYS (L to R) BEGONA VARGAS as CAMERON, JOEL SANCHEZ as BRUCE, TRISTáN ULLOA as DAMIáN, PEDRO ALONSO as BERLíN, MICHELLE JENNER as KEILA, JULIO PEñA as ROI in episode 01 of BLUE MONKEYS. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2022TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX

Summing up, Berlin it is well made, but totally distant from what a fan of House of Paper can expect, where between love and Spanish covers of Al Bano, the story of a robbery turns into the version with guns of Paso Adelante, did we really need it? No.

Source: Vanity Fair

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