Mano de hierro

Pros: Intriging concept. Mafia-like family controlling the port, with people trying to take over the throne, the backstabbing, the betrayals, the side deals, etc. So initially you get the idea of this being a Spanish version of Rome Suburra......except the execution is no where near the Italian counterpart.

Writing. There are so many scenes involving someone calling somebody's name or saying 'stop'. Way to many. Just irritating.

Very few 'real' conversations. Instead, it was people reciting individual sentences to progress the audience to the next scene. 'I am going to take our daughter and drive her to school' or 'I am going to call my brother on the cell phone and invite him to lunch tomorrow' are example of statements made to inform the audience what the character will do next, instead of natural conversation.

Direction. The shaky cam, multiple edits within one scene, face close-ups, loud music during action...all the necessary tricks to decieve the audience that more is going on. The fight scenes are choreographed so badly that one person actually had a knife over their head bringing it down to stab someone, I almost stopped watching from that scene alone. People would all have guns but for some reason forgot they had guns and fight hand-to-hand for no reason at all.

Ex Machina.....for a city with almost six million people, there appears to be only one coffee shop, one restaurant, one alley, one police station and only one side of the port because people kept running into each other by coincidence, throughout the series.

The TV series in question is nothing but a chaotic mishmash of gratuitous violence and graphic sexual content, seemingly designed to shock rather than tell a coherent story. From the very first episode, it becomes clear that the writers have little else in mind beyond throwing every taboo and shock value scene they can think of into each episode. The result is a non-stop barrage of outrageous characters-A voodoo/Santeria shaman, pirates, fight club pretenders. In short, nothing more than a mindless and forgettable sequence of fighting stunts and spontaneous sex scenes. One a positive note, you'll never feel like you missed something, since every scene feel the same.

Iron Reign is a watchable Spanish crime drama set in the criminal underbelly of the Barcelona port. The short eight episode long season one combines intrigue, drama, treachery, police, drugs and even a love triangle.

Unfortunately, the potential of the story is lost amidst flashbacks, confusing story twists, too many main characters and subplots within subplots.

The basic storyline concerns one family, the Manchados, who manage everything illegal at Barcelona port. The plot focuses on a cocaine drug deal with foreign sellers which, due to double dealing within the family, goes off the rails and efforts to stave off a disaster as a result of the failed deal. Meanwhile, Spanish authorities have set their sights on bringing down the Manchados by infiltrating the family.

Can't say anymore without giving away too much.

Iron Reign is an easy series to watch. It may not win critical acclaim but it's far from a waste of time. The ending may not be to one's liking but Netflix is setting viewers up for season two.

Iron Reign (2024) is one of the most gripping and surprisingly underrated series of the year. From the very first episode, it pulls you deep into a world of crime, power, and family loyalty. The storytelling is intense, fast-paced, and filled with twists that you never see coming. Each character is well-crafted, especially the lead who perfectly balances strength and vulnerability. The atmosphere is dark but rich, and the cinematography beautifully captures the tension in every scene. What makes it stand out is how unpredictable the plot is-you constantly feel like anything can happen. Despite its quality, it hasn't received the attention or rating it truly deserves. Iron Reign is a hidden gem worth watching.

Show has the proper mixture of everything that make a good crime show. Crime family with tensions between members. Crime enterprise hiding behind the facade of legitimate business. Large shipment of drugs going missing. Various crime families circling each other "we are friends, we work together but we'll punch on you if we see you as weak". Colombian drug cartels. Undercover cops. Events from decades ago still casting shadows and secrets. But somehow it all fails to come together and leaves us with a disjointed story that is all over the place, betrayals that make little sense, people acting stupidly..... Too bad.