ARA San Juan: Heartbreak Outweighs Investigative Depth

The first image that stays with you from ARA San Juan: The Submarine That Disappeared is a mother’s trembling hands as she holds a photograph of her son, one of the 44 crew members lost aboard the Argentine submarine. This Netflix docuseries, directed by Mauricio Albornoz Iniesta, doesn’t just recount the tragic events of November 15, 2017; it forces you to confront the human cost behind them.

Structurally, the series leans heavily on interviews—with family members, naval experts, and officials—and archival footage. The emotional core comes from the relatives of the crew, their grief raw even years later. A standout moment is when a father describes the last message he received from his son: a simple “I love you,” sent just hours before the submarine vanished. These personal accounts ground the documentary in visceral humanity, making the cold technical details—like the failed battery repairs or the implosion that likely sealed the crew’s fate—that much more devastating.

Where the series stumbles is in its pacing and focus. The investigative angle feels scattered at times, jumping between theories without sufficient depth. The inclusion of experts is valuable, but their contributions occasionally get lost in the shuffle of emotional testimonials. A tighter edit could have sharpened the narrative, distinguishing it from other disaster documentaries that walk a similar line.

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Visually, ARA San Juan relies on stock footage and reconstructions, which, while competent, lack the cinematic punch to fully immerse the viewer. The sound design, however—particularly the eerie silence of the deep sea contrasted with the frantic radio transmissions—elevates key moments, amplifying the tension.

The docuseries is undeniably compelling for its subject matter and emotional weight, but it’s not without flaws.

Tags: Netflix, ARA San Juan: The Submarine that Disappeared

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