The opening shot of Baby Bandito is a skateboard rolling across a tiled floor, the sound of wheels echoing through an empty mall. It’s a simple image, but it sets up everything that follows: Kevin Tapia (Nicolás Contreras), a young skater turned criminal mastermind, is about to pull off Chile’s biggest heist. The series, directed by Julio Jorquera Arriagada, Fernando Guzzoni, and Pepa San Martín, unfolds with the kind of slick pacing that Netflix thrillers often aspire to but rarely achieve.

The first season of Baby Bandito is a heist drama in name, but its real focus is on the aftermath. After Kevin and his crew execute their plan, the series spends most of its runtime exploring how love, loyalty, and social media threaten to unravel everything they’ve built. The ensemble cast—including Francisca Armstrong as Génesis, Pablo Macaya as Pantera, and Carmen Zabala as Mística—delivers performances that are grounded in a sense of youthful recklessness. Nicolás Contreras, in particular, brings a magnetic energy to Kevin, balancing charm with a simmering volatility that makes him both compelling and unpredictable.

The series shines when it leans into its character-driven drama. The dynamic between Kevin and Génesis crackles with tension, their relationship oscillating between passion and peril. Scenes like the one where they argue in a dimly lit apartment, the sound of rain pounding against the windows, highlight the raw emotional core of the show. The supporting cast also adds depth, particularly Lukas Vergara as Panda, whose quiet intensity brings an unexpected gravitas to the group.

However, Baby Bandito stumbles when it tries to juggle too many subplots. The incorporation of social media as a narrative device is intriguing but often feels tacked on, with characters scrolling through phones or posting updates that add little to the story. Some of the weirdest storylines, as noted by Reddit users, seem to serve no purpose other than to create artificial conflict. The series also suffers from a lack of cohesion in its pacing; while the first few episodes are tightly wound, the latter half sprawls without clear direction.

The sound design and soundtrack are notable strengths. Tracks like “BENDITO” by Pailita and “Lie” by Reem add a layer of intensity to key scenes, enhancing the emotional beats without overpowering them. The cinematography is also impressive, with sweeping shots of Santiago’s urban landscape that ground the series in its Chilean setting.

In the end, Baby Bandito is a mixed bag. It has moments of genuine brilliance—particularly in its character interactions and the exploration of post-heist tension—but it struggles to maintain focus.