Name: The Initiated
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Mystery, Crime
Released: 2023-07-06T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Andrés Parra, Aria Jara, Juan Pablo Urrego, Jorge Cao, Francisco Denis

The rain-slicked streets of Bogotá glisten under the neon haze, a fitting backdrop for The Initiated‘s opening scene: Andrés Parra as Frank Molina, our disheveled, alcoholic journalist-protagonist, stumbles into yet another crime scene. This is a film that wears its noir influences on its sleeve, but director Juan Felipe Orozco’s adaptation of Mario Mendoza’s novels isn’t content to just mimic the past; it wants to sink its teeth into something grittier, darker.

Based on the novels Lady Massacre, La melancolia de los feos, El diario del fin del mundo, and Akelarre, The Initiated follows Molina as he investigates a series of sinister plots within Bogotá’s underworld. The film’s strength lies in its lead performance. Parra delivers a raw, unflinching portrayal of Molina, a man battling his own demons while trying to uncover the truth. His scenes with Aria Jara as Lady Masacre/Gaby López are particularly electric, their chemistry simmering with tension and unspoken history.

Orozco’s direction is confident, utilizing the city’s labyrinthine streets and decaying architecture to create a claustrophobic atmosphere. The cinematography is stark, favoring harsh lighting and shadowy corners that reflect Molina’s inner turmoil. The film’s pacing, however, is its Achilles’ heel. While the slow burn builds tension, it occasionally veers into meandering territory, making some scenes feel overly drawn out.

The supporting cast is a mixed bag. Juan Pablo Urrego as Ignacio Pombo and Jorge Cao as Augusto Pombo provide solid performances, but their characters often feel one-dimensional. Silvia Santamaría as Carmen and Ana Wills as Verónica fare better, adding depth to the narrative with their nuanced portrayals. Francisco Denis as Padre Lazaro delivers a standout performance in his limited screen time, bringing a sense of moral ambiguity to the role.

The Initiated attempts to blend thriller, drama, mystery, and crime genres into a cohesive whole, but it doesn’t always succeed. The film’s ambition is commendable, but its execution sometimes falls short. The grotesque violence mentioned in some reviews is indeed effective when used sparingly, but the film could have benefited from more restraint.

The film’s ending is its most divisive element. Without spoiling too much, it leans heavily into dystopian themes, which feel somewhat tacked on given the rest of the narrative. This abrupt shift in tone undercuts some of the film’s earlier strengths, leaving the conclusion feeling rushed and unsatisfying.

The Initiated is a flawed but intriguing entry in the crime thriller genre.