Frontera Verde (TV Mini Series 2019) Poster

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8/10
Do not quit, all life is connected...
nikolaidisef18 August 2019
Atmospheric and beautiful metaphysical thriller. Not for the action minded types, although even that is not lacking here either. You get hooked and want to see what is in the next episode immediately. Time traveling back and forth adds to the suspense. Excellent cinematography, plus all the characters are unbelievably substantial and the main woman actress is incredible. And then from Love and Rockets: "So Alive". A wonderful and fitting song, so turn up the volume. Think of the jungle forest and climate change, stay and watch.
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8/10
Worth a watch
longbeachhobo-5335620 August 2019
It's definitely not a fast paced series but somehow it's intense in a subtle way. There is an intermeshing of reality and magic that fits everything together and is cool to boot. The story jumps back and forth between the two main characters timelines yet flows quite well and is easy to keep track of. It definitely has an environmental and political message but doesn't go too overboard with it. The whole story is pretty good, the actors are great especially for being unknowns, and overall it's very visually pleasing to watch. I can't give it 10 stars because there were some negatives for me and it did move too slow in some parts, but still a well done series and worth watching at least once.
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8/10
So relevant and powerful
MadamWarden24 September 2019
A beautiful and enigmatic trip through the jungles of the Amazon and the mind and the universe. A deeply disturbing yet emotionally uplifting series that definitely needs to be binged.

Not a murder mystery but a mystery nonetheless that traverses time and physical boundaries. Excellent cast and fantastic script/scenes that are riveting in their uniqueness.

This is not a series like any other in that it deals with mysticism and tribal life down in the Amazon jungle. Perhaps Apocalypto comes close in atmosphere.

So strange and far from our everyday lives and yet it is amazingly pertinent to today's climate crisis and the world we live in.

Beautifully filmed, performed and crafted. Unlike other series where time shifts get annoying, these really work well in helping us understand the context and solve the mystery.

A strong recommendation!!
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10/10
A unique, never done before series
santiagoespinosa9518 August 2019
This series is really unique, I've never seen something like this, It's really worth the watch. It's not so much of a thriller rather than a really complex fantastic-kind-of-mystery involving two powerful female characters in two different time lines and cultures. It's beyond artsy and rare. Really interesting characters and plotlines. Breathtaking cinematography and locations. A unique view of a colombian culture that seems to be hidden deep in the jungle. Although slow-paced, it's actually really fast to binge, when the ending credits of the last episode started rolling I couldn't believe I watched the 8 episodes.

Great production.
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9/10
Green Frontier
Tweekums15 October 2021
This Colombian crime drama opens with the discovery of the bodies of four female missionaries in the jungle. Helena Poveda is dispatched from Bogota to investigate; she is teamed with a native police officer who is estranged from his tribe. Shortly after her arrival another body is found; a native woman wearing clothes similar to the missionaries is hanging from a tree... her heart has been removed. As Helena's investigation progresses she quickly grows to suspect that the local police can't be trusted. Interwoven with scenes of the investigation we see details of the local tribe's life; in particular Ushe, the dead woman, and a man named Yua; these two have a deep, spiritual connection to the jungle.

I described this as a crime drama but it is so much more than that. The central mystery is intriguing but there are also questions to be answered about Helena's childhood and the trustworthiness of local police. There is also the story of Ushe and Yua and their unique spiritual connection to the jungle; and one western man's determination to uncover the secret of their connection. The scenes set in the jungle looks fantastic; whether it is scenes amongst the trees or shots of small boats going up massive rivers and smaller tributaries. The cast is impressive; I was pleased that the indigenous characters mostly spoke in their own language. Overall I'd definitely recommend this eight part series to anybody after a crime drama with a difference.

These comments are based on watching the series in Spanish and indigenous languages with English subtitles.
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Loved the first 6 episodes. Best cinema I've experienced in quite awhile.
scottsticklin15 September 2019
But the last two episodes went off the rails. WTF happened? Did the project run out of money? Did they bring in a new director to make the series more mainstream? Was there political pushback? Was it a problem to have a series with two strong female leads? Damn.
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7/10
Wonderful, but...
drjgardner23 August 2019
This series is truly unique as a Bogota detective sent by the Attorney General investigates the deaths of 4 missionary girls and one indigenous woman who is more than she seems, in many respects. Wonderful photography, great acting, and a mythical script combine to keep you watching episode after episode. The use of flashbacks is excellent, though may be confusing for some.

Then it hits the wall. After 5 great episodes, the story veers off track. I don't want to give up the twist that's coming, but it's a poor one from my POV and detracts from what was otherwise a marvelous series. Despite this tragic flaw, the series is well worth viewing. It's a 10 if it wasn't for this plot flaw.
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9/10
Cinematic Ayahuasca
escctrlshift20 August 2019
This must be the finest Colombian production since "Narcos". But unlike the "Narcos" story arc, a beam of truth and enlightenment shines through the story, characterization and cinematography. Even if at times the writing and direction falls back on familiar stereotypes and corny special effects (like a human heart beating inside an air-filled glass jar), in the aggregate, this is a brilliant telling, not of a story, but a certain truth about human beings and Mother Nature. It's not necessarily a happy or comfortable truth but one we desperately need to understand and experience. A unifying theme here is nature Goddess worship and its connection to health, longevity and happiness. Joseph Campbell and C.G. Jung would have loved this series!
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6/10
A slow one time watch
anupn-7909717 August 2019
This Columbian series is about a crime drama inside the amazon jungles with some supernatural elements (the eternals), Nazi plots and mostly featuring aboriginal tribes other than the main lead protagonist, who is probably a columbian actress.

I kind of binge watched the 8 episode series over 2 days. The english sub-titles were good. The series has a non-linear narrative with past and present scenes shown one after the other. Considering the plot, I felt that the 8 episodes kind of dragged and it could have been shown in 4 or 5 episodes. Also, the story went almost along predictable lines till the end.

I must say though that it is beautifully shot in the jungles and definitely is a different kind of series of Netflix

Even though the series starts with the murder of 4 missionaries in the amazon jungle and how the lead actor goes about her investigation, neither is it a thriller nor a horror.

The message in the series has more to do with preserving the forests and saving it from human exploitation.

Recommended for a one time watch only.
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10/10
Different modern TV series
justice_for_allro2 September 2019
I was compelled to write a review for two main reasons: 1. I loved it, and it's a different kind of tv show than what we are used to, especially from Netflix; 2. After seeing the "low" rating but especially the few votes (approximately 600 at the time of writing).

It doesn't start slow as few other pointed, but then again it really depends what kind of movies you like. If you've seen and enjoyed Ciro Guerra's Embrace of the Serpent or even the more "mainstream" Emerald Forest by J. Boorman., you will surely like this one. Ciro Guerra directed the first episode, and Antonio Bolivar has a role in this one as well.

It's hard to pick a genre for this series, I would say it's an environmental oriented mystery with supernatural elements, with some drama and thriller undertones.

The cinematography is beautiful at times, the script is convincing and works very well along some good acting moments by a relatively unknown group of actors and the editing is nicely done. I didn't have any problems with its pacing nor wished it would have gone longer, tough I had to admit I would love to see a season two with a similar theme in a different environment or culture.

The story itself is a classic one but with a very fresh approach, it deals with the environmental problems we are facing (right now the amazon forest is/was on fire) but also with the internal problems, the alienation from ourselves. The writers really did a good job in creating a good background for the narrative, the elements of Christianism and a certain type of pantheism become tangled and intertwined.

The lead actors are very good, much better than the average cast of most Hollywood produced tv shows. There are able to deliver three dimensional characters, there are some good lines in the series and also some dramatic and memorable moments.

I won't give the plot away, don't want to spoil the pleasure of a viewing without too much information that can often harm the viewing experience. I highly recommend it (along with Dark) this is by far the most original tv show produced in recent years.
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6/10
Could have been great
jimdead7 September 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The setting is great, there's lots of potential with the story and most of the characters are interesting... unfortunately it becomes quite repetitive towards the middle and the ending is just bad. The acting is average but the great mood of the first episodes makes it work. The tired nazi subplot is badly used and feels very cheap. The story went downhill from there. I'm not sure what the ending is supposed to mean but it is so rushed, badly edited and out of place that it kinda ruined the whole thing for me.
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10/10
AMAZING SHOW!!
Skandra_xyz18 August 2019
Everything you want on a show, beautifully shot, great characters, amazing photography, full of mystery and magic, with a lot of twists! After you're hooked, it's almost imposible to stop. Highly recommended!
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7/10
Needed somewhat better editing, but overall it was a good watch.
connorundrumme26 May 2020
The emphasis in the reviews I've read on the non-existent ending are totally valid. It basically just plops to a finish with zero resolution. It could also have been compressed by having fewer contemplative cigarette smoking scenes, verbal abuse scenes, repetitive white demon-splaining content, and nonverbal woman-staring moments. Some of the shots and plot devices are overused, and yes, its rather long and drawn out at times. (I didn't find it too bad in terms of the pacing that some are saying was too much for them.)

Other than that, it had plenty of spiritual connectedness to nature and its symbiosis explained in mystical terms, with acceptable special effects, amazing cinematography and POV shots, etc. It didn't rely on gore or sexual abuse, nor animal abuse, either, so it wasn't lazy in those ways. And, while the lead character Helena was strong enough, it's not like she was improbably heroic, or always in charge. The whole thing was largely joyless, though, and it never is explained why four of what are essentially jungle nuns that could obviously not have been 'Ushe' were murdered. Are we to assume the Ya'arikawas masks made them colorblind, yet still left them capable of perfect shots?

RE: the reviewer wanting only Yua's story, and not Helena's: His story is already baked in - he's a brave but weak, jungle-knowledgable-guru 'eternal' that turns out to be less than wise in some ways, and habitually ineffectual in leadership. Stop watching any and all movies featuring women if their existence disinterests you, then you can stop talking about it, too. Also, no one here is speaking to the producers of anything through this platform!
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5/10
Such great potential but...
delacruz-155-2831492 January 2020
Great camera work. Great location/setting. Good cast and decent acting. Great start to a story but then WTF happened? I really want to give this more stars but I just can't. I'm not sure what all the great ratings saw but I just can't get with it. Ending the way it did could have been done in four episodes instead of dragging it out. Disappointing.
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10/10
Pure Art
claudiabolano26 August 2019
This series is very unique, deep and so beautifully done!! I was very impressed!! Although it's not fast pace, it's only 8 episodes and the mysterious story line keeps you hooked and interested till the end. The acting is superb and the cinematography is simply breathtaking. What a beautiful connection between a crime story and mother nature, and how remarkable what the directors achieved with the real indigenous tribes of the Colombian Amazon.
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8/10
AMAZING but...
flores_juan_pablo7 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Like I said, amazing short series. I recommend it. BUT they dropped the ball at the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BADLY no conclusion.

Still worth watching.
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6/10
A missed opportunity
Amazing-Stories30 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This Netflix production has an unusual setting. It places a female Bogotá-based detective in the midst of lethal jungle conflicts between the Colombian indigenous tribes, forest workers, the corrupt and incompetent local police, and a bunch of evil white Nazis.

In this world, the shamans have actual magical powers, and the jungle actually communicates with them through plant medicine (i.e. Plants with psychoactive substances). The evil white villain is a sort of demon, sent by left-over Nazis to steal the secrets of magic from the pure-hearted forest people.

I really wanted to love this series. It contains many interesting elements that we're not used to seeing in modern criminal dramas. It had the potential to be incredibly interesting.

Unfortunately, the storytelling quickly proved too weak for the big topics. The plot uncovered in a confusing way, the timeline felt overburdened with slow and uninteresting subplots, and the tone quickly became very monotonous. If the eight episoded had been edited down to three or four that would focus only on the main story arc, I'm sure it would've been a much more rewarding viewing experience.

There's an attempt to make the Colombian jungle feel like James Cameron's Pandora, where there's a literal divine intelligence governing the forest and its people. But in this version, the jungle looks mostly grey, damp and dull. Even the indigenous people seem unhappy most of the time, as does every other character in this show. The entire series has a tone of gloom, poverty, corruption and depression that never changes. There are no bright spots to balance it up. Even the magical dimensions of the shamans seem dark, empty and depressing in this world.

Most of all, this series feels like a missed opportunity. I commend Neflix for taking on this type of production. We need more unusual series like this one. We just need them to be better.
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10/10
Not a detective story neither a classic thriller
balloon_ranger18 August 2019
The story starts like a murder case but it gradually evolves to something more. It evolves to something existential, deep and metaphysical involving the Amazon's jungle mysteries and the connection of the natives with the spirit of the jungle and the earth. Story nicely said, great atmosphere - music, good acting.
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6/10
Beauty and Magical.
miguelovargasmejia25 September 2019
It´s a thriller with a great historical and geographic context; the jungle looks awesome and the shooting locations are beautiful. It´s really a shame that the main plot of the story be so weak; In opposite, the secondary plot, Ushë and Yua´s story is really powerful and their mythological relationship with the mother earth is so interesting; their performances are outstanding and its a hit that they speaking on their own language. Please producers, keep Yua´s story instead of Helena´s.
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8/10
Haunting and beautiful
allenmullen21 August 2019
Netflix continues to release some impressive and original television series from around the world, this one from Colombia. While the supernatural elements of this series sometimes detract from immersion in the story, and the non-linear narrative can be challenging, it is a good story, well-written and convincingly cast.
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6/10
Very interesting premise with great setting, fails in pace and story wrapping.
foxtografo16 November 2021
I started watching this out of curiosity for the setting, I do appreciate the originality and exotism of the setting.

The acting is quite solid, even if there are lots of natives from the are that are not even actors, but they felt really natural and authentic. I also liked the use of original languages, even if some lazy people think this is annoying, I find it being added value.

The story is interesting, I didn't dislike the twist that many found a bad one, but I do agree that the pace is a bit too slow at times, even if it's a slow burner, some times it loses the point and becomes boring.

Most people prices the photography, besides the fact that it's an interesting setting, I actually found it quite amateur in look, it definitely need colouring, which is a postproduction thing and it doesn't seem to have through the series, but interestingly, the short behind the scenes documentary available in Netflix does have it, and it looks much better than the actual series.

Might be an artistic choice, but colour correction is such an important thing in cinema today, it can't be overlooked.

It didn't bother me so much as to spoil the experience, but what actually disappointed me was the ending, being too surreal for my taste. This is personal preference and I'm not saying it's bad, I'm sure many will enjoy it and it probably has a lot of meaning, but I just didn't catch all that and it's not my kind of thing.

The series was enjoyable and original though, I respect it doesn't try to be commercial, I think it was good and I recommend it to people that want to see something different.
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9/10
Excellence. Pure Excellence.
jeff-205128 August 2019
If you enjoy great direction, great scripting, great cinematography, and incredible acting, this is for you. However, if you don't understand that "Religion is for people afraid of going to Hell, but spirituality is for those who've already been," then you probably will not get it. (Sorry I can't remember to whom to credit the quote."
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6/10
where is the rest?
nalwro16 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Wtf was that? where's proper ending? they r in this other dimension, next second they r in disco(?) and bam the end! sure its interesting premise, bit slow and could be few ep shorter.?
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4/10
Be one with the jungle
RobinFlys29 August 2019
The jungle is alive...the trees are green...there is water in the jungle...the jungle will protect us...oops, the jungle doesn't protect us...grow and get old or be eternal...be who you are...be one with the jungle. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Apparently aboriginal tribesmen like to stare, emotionless, for most of their days.If the staring scenes were eliminated, this could easily have been a three episode series. Past and present are constantly flipped back and forth. This was painfully boring for me to watch. I felt no connection with any of the characters and didn't care who lived or died. There was a lot of metaphysical in the story, but again, I didn't care.

Looks like I'm in the minority on this one.
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10/10
Murder Mystery + Amazonian Shamanism = Fantastic Cinema
isantistao3 September 2019
This is a really amazing show, one of my favorites ever created. The creativity and originality are unprecidented. This show combines murder mystery and police investigation with Amazonian Shamanism and Mysticism in a truly amazing blend of cinematic artwork.

Photographically it is beautiful and breathtaking, some of the shots of the jungle are just mesmerizing. The dialogue of the indigenous people is sometimes so poetic that it really pulls you in from the start. And the murder mystery/police investigation aspects are going to be different than what you are used to because they take place in the columbian amazon, and are wrapped up with indigenous culture, as well as police corruption. But my favorite aspect of course is the amazonian shamanism and the jungle mysticism aspect. The magick of the jungle and the two indigenous shamanic characters is so fascinating because it is unlike anything ever depicted in film before. I have been studying shamanism for almost 20 years and have never seen anything like this, it was a real treat for me.

This movie has it all, mystery, drama, action, spirituality, all woven together in such a great piece of artwork. You cannot help but love the characters and being a part of their lives in this story, which is exactly what good character development should do for you. The storyline is also just so compelling and unfolds smoothly without being forced like a lot of others do these days. It is extremely inspiring, and I have seen a review where someone said it was slow, and I think anyone who feels that way probably has the brain of a squirrel. This story is deep and profound, as well as being very suspensful and extremely exciting. There are also some twists and surprises along the way that I will not share with you here because I am not one to spoil things. You will just have to see it to experience it for yourself, which I know you will enjoy immensely.

As a film buff and videographer, to me, this is a real gem. There has never been anything like it before and I doubt there ever will be. I highly recommend this for anyone that enjoys any number of the aforementioned cinematic themes.
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