Netflix’s Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) is a thrill ride not to be missed

An international hit for Netflix, Money Heist is an addictive crime thriller with a distinct voice.

Money Heist, a pick-up from Spain that is now a Netflix original, is about a group of robbers, led by an enigmatic man going by the name of Professor, breaking into the Royal Mint of Spain and taking it over, hostages in tow.

It’s a wild plot, only growing wilder from there. Money Heist perfectly builds and builds, using its tension and ticking clock narrative to make every moment count. It’s a back and forth battle between robbers and police where each side wins and loses throughout its run, always leaving you on edge.

The show smartly boils down to character with its every decision. These people, all with nicknames of major cities, are trapped inside a cage by choice, slowly cracking under the pressure in their own different way as the money prints away. How do they continue on the mission while also combating the police and time? Everyone is so distinct and find themselves down fascinating paths, where you end up rooting for each of them in their own way.

There’s Berlin, a man whose charms and ruthless ways make him a dangerous leader on the inside. There’s Tokyo, fierce and always questioning morals, but is perhaps a little too reactive. But she is endlessly loyal to Rio, another of the robbers, showing layers to her. Even some of the hostages become fascinating capsules as they form bonds or grudges with particular robbers.

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There’s also the Professor, a brilliant tactician who becomes the outside help as he fixes the messes as they grow. And finally there’s Raquel, the investigator in charge of bringing the whole operation down. She’s a powerful female lead for the show, able to always stay up to speed to the Professor’s sharp maneuvers.

There’s also key flashbacks, timed perfectly to parse information and provide excellent context to the psyche of these conflicted characters.

The show is mainly a thriller, and it’s full of intensity and action. Money Heist knows how to keep you wanting more, every episode easily falling into the next. It’s one of Netflix’s most compelling series in this regard.

An interesting factor to the shift over to Netflix is that its original 15 episodes have been cut into 22 episodes on Netflix. This allows the show to breathe more, but it also does have some uneven pieces in the process. All the same, though, it’s a lot of fun to watch.

As the third part takes the summer by storm, Money Heist is well worth the investment as one of Netflix’s biggest international hits, a promising and endlessly entertaining crime heist series that uses every episode like it’s made of gold.

Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) returns for its third part on Friday, July 19.

What do you think of Money Heist? Let us know in the comments!