Cangaço Novo

Cangaço Novo (2023), now streaming on Amazon Prime, takes audiences on a captivating exploration of the world of Brazilian cangaço, infusing it with a modern essence that revitalizes the genre.

The series delves deep into themes of loyalty, honor, and the unyielding human spirit in the face of adversity, resulting in an engaging and intellectually enriching viewing experience.

Notably, the show excels in crafting well-rounded characters, fostering a profound connection with each character's motivations and emotions. The dialogues are immersive and enthralling, providing insights into the intricate tapestry of relationships and alliances that define the cangaço way of life.

The exceptional performances by the cast and a dynamic storyline effortlessly seize the viewer's attention from start to finish, making Cangaço Novo a truly compelling and immersive journey.

Available at Amazon Prime.

Cangaço Novo (New Bandits) is a brazilian streaming show that follows the protagonist Ubaldo Vaqueiro in his descend to the criminal world to pay for his father medical bills. After discovering that he has an extended family far away he chases this chance of easy inheritance money but finds himself following the footsteps of his birth father into a world he was not familiarized.

The cast is perfectly selected and there isn't really any weak point in this regard. The main cast (Ubaldo, Dinorah, Dilvânia, Sabiá) is very solid. Ubaldo shows his turn into a criminal with subtlety. While Dinorah is a force of nature in her way of living instinctively and violently always, and contrasting with Dilvânia in her sweetness and caring nature.

The cinematography and production design at real locations give the show the roughness looks it needs to sell all the hardlife these people has to go through and why many chooses the path of criminality.

The show adopts a naturalistic editing style with some exceptions like an hallucination sequence that features some historic figures from brazilian history (for non-brazilians the scene might seem random and confusing). The show also chooses to start the episodes with flashbacks to slowly fill in the viewer about an important event from the protagonist's past.

There is a lot of violence shown (shots, runnovers, etc) that is necessary for the type of story that is being told. There is very mild and quick nudity scenes shown, some for comedy purposes other than in sex scenes.

The show has a proper ending, differing from the usual cliffhanger season endings many shows use. Not saying the ending doesn't have misteries to be discussed, but it is a proper ending.

The cinematography of this show is mind-blowing, for a brazilian show, Prime Video totally got it right. It shows how politics are done far in the smalls cities in Brazil, how they play dirty to accomplish their own goals and make the citizens as their means to get it - and after getting, forgetting them, making the people suffer with poverty, have not water and not a single way to live better cause most of these people are so needy to have something that they are easily bought when the time of elections begin again.

It also brings to the plot the cangaço. There's a known real story lived by Lampeão and Maria Bonita, but the writter and director did such a well done job creating a new story without having to refer to that story. This series deserves a second season - which is already written, but Prime Video has yet to confirm the new season. If they do it, it could easily be one of the best original brazilian shows ever done by Prime. Not even Netflix or Star+ (disney) has a show in this quality. Everything is so well done, there's no plot holes. You can feel the adrenaline while watching. It's not a 10 cause i Want to see the end whe the story is actually over in a new season.

I am a big fan of Brazilian productions like "City of God" or series like "The Mechanism", so consequently I've watched this one without knowing anything about this product. I recommend to not read anything about it to enjoy it the most.

First, the series starts super strong. Best I have watched in a long time. Great cast, amazing production, no cheap CGI and enough blood for fans like me that love series like Gomorrah, Zero Zero Zero or as mention before great Brazilian productions like Tropa De Elite.

Second, the script is great for the first 3/4 of the series but suddenly it becomes super predictable if you have watched similar series. I mean anything is perfect so I understand you get out of ideas and you take this from here and something from there, that is obviously done before.

So, overall the experience is excellent and I'm going to watch season 2. This series is on the way of becoming a masterpiece or get out of ideas and become just another one.

SEASON 1 (4/5)

A great Brazilian show that doesn't shy to be unfair and crude about its depiction of corruption and criminalization. It's a grounded story with some exciting heists and gunfights but the message is clear, nobody wins here when there is no fairness. Some situations are very frustrating as the antagonists can be loud, and immature, and still have a win.

It can be confusing sometimes to follow the characters since despite being clearly there to steal money, take advantage of vulnerable people, and kill anyone who prevents them they are also there to save their city and protect the poor population from corrupt politics. It's not a swift change but seeing the gangsters playing the "good guys" after doing some atrocities at the beginning is maybe too much.