Close Menu
  • Gaming
    • Game Guides
    • Codes
    • Game News
    • Game Previews
    • Game Reviews
    • Game Features
    • Game Lists
    • Platforms
      • Nintendo
      • PC
      • PlayStation
      • Xbox
      • Mobile
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Movie Features
    • Movie Reviews
    • TV
    • Reality TV
    • Royals
  • Celebrity
  • Human Interest
  • Astrology
  • Videos
  • More
    • Anime
    • Lists
    • Podcasts
    • Reviews
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
  • About Us
  • Join Our Team
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Sitemap
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Advertising Policy
The Nerd Stash
  • Gaming
  • Celebrity
  • Human Interest
  • Videos
The Nerd Stash
Home»Exclusives»The Infiltrator Review

The Infiltrator Review

Title:ย The Infiltratorย  Release Date: Julyย 13, 2016 Studio:ย Broad Green Pictures Director:ย Brad Furman Release Format: Theatricalย  Thereโ€™s a line in The Infiltrator that states, โ€œThe economy is…

Matthew GoudreauBy Matthew GoudreauAugust 3, 20165 Mins Read
This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information.

Title:ย The Infiltratorย 

Release Date: Julyย 13, 2016

Studio:ย Broad Green Pictures

Director:ย Brad Furman

Release Format: Theatricalย 


Thereโ€™s a line in The Infiltrator that states, โ€œThe economy is addicted to drugs.โ€ Taken at face value, thereโ€™s a wrinkle of truth to be found here. The time period in which the film is set was during President Reaganโ€™s war on drugs. Our nation was having a bit of an identity crisis and our relations with Latin America were shaky to say the least. A moral quandary into the dilemmas of battling the drug war has made for excellent cinema in the past. It could still be effective, but The Infiltrator knows the notes but not the music for this cinematic melody. Thereโ€™s an absence of complexity throughout and what is there is directly lifted from superior films.

Thatโ€™s not to say The Infiltrator falls flat on its face. As a vehicle for star Bryan Cranston, who was heard this year in Kung Fu Panda 3,ย it takes full advantage of his ability. Cranston (Trumbo) again showcases his versatility as Robert Mazur, a customs agent with a plan. He decides to implement a plan to track the money trail, not the drugs as so many were inclined to do at the time. To do so, he creates a false persona as a dirty money launderer in order to gain the attention of Pablo Escobar. Mazurโ€™s personality and experience pay off and he soon finds himself drawn into a dirty world of deception and crime. Because itโ€™s set in the 80s, he gets to don a moustache that would make Tom Selleck blush.

The details of this sting operation are highly fascinating despite being somewhat fabricated for the sake of the film. That decision proves to be problematic. By choosing to embellish some plot points, the film sinks into a whirlpool of convention during the second act. ย He gets too close with one of his targets (Benjamin Bratt) and we see that this job is straining his marriage. Thereโ€™s little context beyond the surface. By comparison, a film like Donnie Brasco succeeds at making the villain โ€œlikeableโ€ despite his horrible actions. In The Infiltratorยธ we donโ€™t get enough of a true reason to explain why Mazur feels like such a kindred spirit to Brattโ€™s character. The subplot involving his wife is distracting considering his line of work. Heโ€™s been doing dangerous work for decades so why is she so distraught by this one operation?

Bryan Cranston and John Leguizamo in The Infiltrator
Bryan Cranston and John Leguizamo in The Infiltrator

Despite the archetypes of the characters, each one is nevertheless compelling thanks to the actors. Bryan Cranstonโ€™s role is not much of a stretch for him but heโ€™s still a force of nature. Much like Walter White, Mazur is a well-intentioned man with some very fundamental flaws. Heโ€™s the protagonist of the piece but he definitely behaves like a villain at several points. One in particular is the standout scene of the film, in which he has to berate a waiter to avoid blowing his cover. His role, while the best part of the film, is not entirely a stretch for the decorated actor. The same can be said for his co-stars John Leguizamo and Benjamin Bratt. Leguizamo provides several moments of levity that usually hit but would be better serviced in a more stress-reliant film.

Much like his previous film The Lincoln Lawyer, Brad Furmanโ€™s direction is procedural. Mazur is an underdog like McConaugheyโ€™s lawyer but the first half of this film makes his success seem effortless. ย Under his persona, Mazur gets involved fairly quickly without much difficulty. During one scene, Mazur (in character) puts his foot in his mouth by making up a fiancรฉ. This leads to him taking on a partner posing as his wife (Diane Kruger). Sheโ€™s a rookie agent with no field experience but she proves that sheโ€™s more than an object. Thatโ€™s the first moment where things start to become more complicated. From there, it takes some time before it gets back into gear.

Itโ€™s only when the violence escalates that the tension finally gets cranked up. The Infiltrator earns its R rating but the violence doesnโ€™t have the impact it does in a Scorsese film for instance. ย After an assassination attempt, the film really begins to play with the idea of violence becoming normalized. Again, thatโ€™s a trope which harkens back to several other films such as Goodfellas and The Godfather. ย For the drug dealers, itโ€™s a means to an end but Mazur soon realizes that violence has corrupted the financial world. A bank that Mazur seeks to criminalize hides from their dirty dealings through a thin veil of soft language. No one is entirely pure at heart in this world.

Diane Kruger and Bryan Cranston Are a Superb Acting Duo
Diane Kruger and Bryan Cranstonย Make for a Dynamic Duo

The Infiltratorย follows the standard route of an undercover movie without the bite this story warrants. However, the film succeeds thanks to its talented ensemble and moments of tension. There are moments of visual pastiche that complement the 80s setting without feeling tongue in cheek. Theyโ€™re diamonds in an otherwise dull and predictable crime drama. The fascinating real life story would benefit much from a miniseries of some sort than a feature film. With that said, itโ€™s a competent piece of entertainment if youโ€™re looking for a form of mature escapism.


[review]

Related Topics
Movie review The Infiltrator
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email
Matthew Goudreau
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Matt is a longtime film buff, writer and podcast host from Rhode Island. Ask him what his favorite films are and you will probably get a different answer every time. In addition to writing for The Nerd Stash, Matt writes for The Young Folks, which is also the home of his podcast Directors of Cinema.

SUGGESTED READS

Killing Floor 3 PC Review
7.5
Game Reviews

Killing Floor 3 Review – Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

JD Vance and Donald Trump in South Park
Human Interest

JD Vance Mocked For His Response To Latest ‘South Park’ Episode

Jennifer Aniston close up
Celebrity

Jennifer Aniston Told Perky Display ‘Not Classy’ With Injured New Boyfriend In NYC

Daemon x Machina Titanic Scion Previews Round Up
News

The Recent Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion Previews Confirm It Will Be The Best Mecha Game of the Year

Donkey Kong Bananza
9.5
Features

Donkey Kong Bananza Review – Digging to Success

indiana water test
News

‘A Child Was Hospitalized:’ Internet Blows the Whistle on Alleged Water Scandal in Alexandria, Indiana: ‘Officials lied’

Trending

Say Goodbye to PS6 and the Console War? PlayStation ‘Moves Away’ From Hardware into Platform and ‘Engagement’ Business Model

Indian families in Costco

‘Indian Takeover’ at Costco in Texas Causes Uproar as ‘The Great Replacement Is Unfolding’: ‘Utterly Disgusting’

Woman spitting on another woman in NY

Black Woman Spits on White Woman and Child in New York: ‘Disgusting B-tch’

Florida Man Bashes Boomers Who Bought Up All the Houses, But Now They Canโ€™t Sell Them

Florida Man Bashes Boomers Who Bought Up All the Houses, But Now They Canโ€™t Sell Them, โ€˜I Call Them Privileged Problemsโ€™ย 

The Nerd Stash
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
  • About Us
  • Join Our Team
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Sitemap
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Advertising Policy
© 2025 The Nerd Stash. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.