The Infiltrator, Blu-ray (2016)

by | Oct 11, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Just because it didn’t do well in the theaters doesn’t mean this thriller is not well worth seeing.

The Infiltrator, Blu-ray (2016)

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo, Benjamin Bratt
Director: Brad Furman
Studio: LipSync/ good films/Broadgreen Pictures 941805540 (10/11/16)
Video: 2.40:1 for 16:9, 1080 HD color
Audio: English & Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Extras: Audio commentary track by director and Bryan Cranston, Deleted scenes, The Three Bobs, How to Infiltrate
Length: 127 min.
Rating: ****1/2

There were some similarities between this film and the series The Night Manager.  This film is based on the true story of a U.S. customs agent who was about to retire, but instead of playing it safe, works undercover under tremendous pressure to take down a huge Columbian money-laundering scheme and cocaine dealers. At any moment, the slightest slip (such as when his suitcase with a tape recorder hidden inside suddenly becomes visible to some of the bad guys) can get him killed. “Bob” Mazur (one of his cover names) finds that he has deeply infiltrated Pablo Escobar’s drug operation in 1986 by posing as a slick money-grubbing businessman.

The actor of HBO fame is teamed with an impulsive young fellow agent, Emir, and a fake girlfriend/fiancee Kathy, who is a rookie and at first distrusted by Bob. One of his theories is that having the fake facts about each of them close to the truth to make it easier to remember.  He is soon invited into the home of Escobar’s top lieutenant Roberto and his wife. Bob invites all the bad guys to his supposed wedding with Kathy and it is there that over a hundred drug lords and corrupt bankers are arrested and rounded up, though the two lead agents felt bad for Roberto and his wife.  Most got at least 12 years in prison.

Again, his work contributed to his destroying his family situation, and his wife leaves him, even though he refrains from sex with his beautiful fake fiancee. He continued afterwards as an undercover agent. If you really like true crime tales, this is a good one.  The two extras “The Three Bobs” and “How to Infiltrate” are absolutely fascinating and might be watched before seeing the actual film. But I never did understand the need for the third “Bob.”

—John Sunier

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