New Bandits (2023– ) User Reviews

A must-watch for anyone seeking a captivating blend of history, drama, and adventure.

[aryastarkiller · 9/10 · 21 August 2023]

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.

A perfect mix of Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol and Breaking Bad

[rudykawa · 8/10 · 26 August 2023]

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.

I literally stumbled onto this

[IMGuuDFAM · 10/10 · 27 August 2023]

Awesome show from start to finish. Instead of rating each episode, I couldn't find a weak one so ill just rate it an overall 10. It had a authentic feel to it. In my honest opinion, it felt like the movie Heat. It great casting, the writing was well done. Each character had their own thing going on but it was just enough time for you to understand each one. Nothing felt rushed. Action, suspense and the writing was legit. You can easily binge all 8 episodes. No cliff hangers really just a plot that has you curious for more. Its has an authentic feel to it so If you're into heist series or movies, this is a must watch!

Pure Brazil's northeast culture captured on this master piece

[marcelatejoit · 10/10 · 24 August 2023]

If you are going to watch this series, be prepared to feel a mix of every feeling a human can feel: angry, sadness, joy, anxiety, disgust.

What you will watch is a very stereotypical vision of northeast culture, along with very accurate elements of the day to day life of these fearless, struggling and suffering people. If you can watch this in Portuguese - its original language, you will see how rich, diverse and unique is their vocabulary.

It is incredible to watch the story and growth of Ubaldo, which is the same as a lot of people from Brazil's northeast: they migrate to São Paulo seeking a better life but they struggle there and always end up coming back to their "terrinha".

So interesting to see Ubaldo reganing his own identy, stolen from him when he was just a little boy. Not to mention the strong women on the plot, they own every single scene.

You will get attached to characters with real deep motivations, even though they are cangaceiros, the bad guys.

Stunning production, brilliant performance, and the end leaves mragin to a next season. I did not expect to watch such a well made Brazillian production. Nice one!

I just can't wait for season 2

[ddfzpswjn · 10/10 · 9 September 2023]

As a northeastern girl, I'm honored to be represented by this series. The way they studied our culture, our language and how everything was so relatable to my reality got me right in the heart, haha For those who don't get the emotion: 99% of the Brazilian productions talk about the southeast, we were completely forgotten even tho we are the real culture of our country.

The cast is amazing, I can say I'm so angry with the maleiros as I am with Bolsonaro! And believe me, that's a loooot.

The cangaço lived in my family and I can say I feel represented with this masterpiece. I'm truly happy to recommend it.

I'm already waiting for season 2, bando de galado!

[wilddasta · 10/10 · 4 September 2023]

Booooooy...

You gotta see it!

This is too much fuderoso !

New Bandits was born a classic and is easy my favorite TV Show from a looooong time!

It captures Northeastern Brazilian culture in such a fluid way that even someone from anywhere in the world would feel like one of those galados there!

Also the picture and the plot is very well built showing some cultural elements very present in parts of the world where the figure of a savior is needed, which is the case most every region in Brazil, but very specially in the backlands of northeast region of the country.

I NEED more seasons!

Start filming it RIGHT NOW, boes! Oxe! Avia!

Believe me: this is better than The Wire

[diegomorenosalmen · 10/10 · 27 August 2023]

This series has every element that made series like Breaking Bad, The Wire and Sopranos some of the greatest of all time. Multiple layers that perfectly connects with each other, subtle streams of consciousness, prime acting, charismatic anti-heroes and brilliant photography - all in one single masterpiece that engages the viewer in an insanely adctive way. More than that, It gives an unique perspective on Brazilian culture, most precisely from the Sertão, and arid zone on the Northeastern region, showing how things work in this impoverished area of the country. I would dare to say this is the best series I have ever seen. YOU HAVE TO WATCH IT!

This is a must watch and a masterpiece

[mysoluis · 10 December 2023]

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.

Great start, but looses steam from middle to the end...

[celso-biagioni · 6/10 · 1 September 2023]

The film starts off really well, with suspense and top-notch action scenes, a compelling plot, and good performances. Most of the actors seem to actually be from the northeast, which adds a lot of realism to the dialogue and makes it more convincing for Brazilian viewers. However, the story loses some steam halfway through, some characters are annoying, and in my opinion, the caricatured representation of two of Brazil's main political parties with stereotypes somewhat reinforces the idea that the ends justify the means. Overall, I really liked most aspects, but despised some, particularly the forced political stereotypes. The 8 and 9 ratings I've been seeing don't seem justified to me... perhaps it's more appealing to foreign audiences than to the local Brazilian viewrs.

Sensational

[compraslipp · 10/10 · 3 September 2023]

.wonderful production and plot, excellent actors. Realistic and immersive scenarios. Outstanding characters. It emphasizes the culture of the Brazilian Northeast, rescuing history. Exciting from start to finish, a milestone for Brazilian audiovisual.

Wonderful production and plot, excellent actors. Realistic and immersive scenarios. Outstanding characters. It emphasizes the culture of the Brazilian Northeast, rescuing history. Exciting from start to finish, a milestone for Brazilian audiovisual.

Wonderful production and plot, excellent actors. Realistic and immersive scenarios. Outstanding characters. It emphasizes the culture of the Brazilian Northeast, rescuing history. Exciting from start to finish, a milestone for Brazilian audiovisual.

Ups and downs

[solitudeproinc · 6/10 · 8 November 2023]

The storyline is somewhat riveting I have to say. The first couple episodes had me really waiting in suspense for whats to come next. The main character and his development was annoying for me from the onset. It seemed unrealistic for him to just be that weak and aloof. Thay was dissapointing. Then the sister's rage and initial actions, made little sense to me, some of the actions just seemed overboard.

Lmthe series looks quite authentic though and not too watered down (I'm American and assume that section of Brazilian culture was well represented). I hope that S2 gets better writing, intensity and action sequences, to match up to and surpass S1.

Had to right this wrong

[davidjcelentano · 1/10 · 26 September 2023]

Horrible acting. Characters are boring especially the female who thinks shes rambo. I literally made an account to write a review cause its gta be the most backwards rating Ive seen in on IMDB since Ive used it for the past 15+ years. I mean the character building is ok and the cinmetography is not that bad either. But again the acting... omg its horrendous. Some scenes are beyond un realistic. The main actor is so bad I want to literally cry. How this got rated an almost 9 makes me not even want to use IMDB anymore just for making this one idiotic rating. I am beggining to think mabey yall take bribes its so bad. I mean one episode and I cant watch anymore im so angry its so bad!

I really wanted to like it.

[mdantasfernando · 4/10 · 24 November 2023]

As a brazilian who loves crime stories, I had high expectations for Cagaço Novo (New Bandits). The raw material for a great series was definitely there: a solid premise, inspired by real life events and set in the culturally amazing state of Ceará. Sadly, none of that could make up for the poor writing. Especially when it comes to the protagonists, Ubaldo and Dinorá, who are both underdeveloped and TERRIBLY portraied by their respective actors. Cinema in Brazil have always struggled with that. The stories are usually about social issues, which could be a good thing if compelling characters came with the package, but most of the time thats not the case. At its best, New Bandits is mildly entertaining. But overall, if you're looking for something a bit deeper than screams and explosions, go look elsewhere.

Excruciating violence and nauseatingly graphic

[Æthelred · 4/10 · 17 January 2024]

I like to think I have a high tolerance for violence in media. I've read and enjoyed Derek Raymond's Factory series of novels, which are so gruesome that The UK Guardian reported regarding the last one: "Its graphic, hyper-emotional depiction of serial killing so grossed out Raymond's then-editor Dan Franklin that he reportedly vomited after reading the manuscript."

But there has to be some sort of point to violence. Cangaço Novo doesn't have a point. It's totally gratuitous. The characters are not just ruthless and not just stupidly ruthless, but pointlessly ruthless, notably Dinorah but also the hangers-on. In reality, any gang like this would soon be eliminated by the Brazilian authorities shortly after the first bank robbery.

If you want something that's Brazilian, violent, and excellent, watch Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad). I quit Cangaço Novo after 1½ episodes.