I know what you’re thinking. Hasn’t the killing of Pablo Escobar been done to death? With the likes of Narcos, countless Netflix documentaries and other content chronicling the Columbian drug lord, what else could be of value to audiences? Step in Killing Escobar, the story of the group of British mercenaries – specifically Scottish ex-SAS operative Peter McAleese – hired by a rival cartel to off Don Pablo back in the 1980s. This detailed insight into a chapter of the tale of the notorious kingpin is one such story that hasn’t been told – and it is excellent.
Crime historians and viewers of the aforementioned Narcos will know that Escobar was – and spoiler alert here, folks – expired by the Colombian National Police in Medellín in late 1993. Most will know that going in but shouldn’t be put off by this thrilling piece telling the story of a failed attempt on Escobar’s life. Killing Escobar is based on events that occurred nearly four years early when McAleese and other hired guns travelled to the jungles of Columbia on the dime of the feared Cali Cartel, a vicious rival of Pablo Escobar. Told via talking heads, including a hugely reflective 78-year-old McAleese, as well as through archive footage and dramatised reconstruction, Whitney’s film is a hugely engrossing piece of work.
Much of the film is told in a detailed, reflective manner by McAleese himself, who we know through the film’s opening dramatic scenes was seriously injured in the operation. We don’t know how, when, or specifically where, but the rest of the film plays catch-up to that scene, the formers SAS operative turned gun-for-hire explaining how everything unfolded.
There are further accounts of the mission from former serviceman Dave Tomkins, who ultimately brought McAleese on board, whose amateur footage is seen throughout the feature, as well as Pablo’s hitman El Ñangas, and on the other side, Jorge Salcedo Cabrera, the Cali Cartel Security Chief who sought out the mercenaries for the cartel to hire for the deadly mission. Also featured are DEA agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy, both of whom were portrayed in the Narcos series’ by Pedro Pascal and Boyd Holbrook. They give an overall insight into the Escobar era and the ruthless grip and considerable wealth and control he had.
It’s all compelling stuff, completely absorbing and interesting to see play out. I was initially put off my the dramatic re-enactments – I would rather have listened to more of the individuals describing the action – but I got used to it after the first few scenes, and by the end I was as gripped as I could have possibly been watching the talented actors playing out the thrilling events.
It is one of those documentaries where you will have some idea of where things are going – a lot of it due to facts already being in the public domain – but that doesn’t take anything away from the effectiveness of its execution and the engrossing nature of the material. As action-packed and thrilling as any decent crime docu-series that have seemingly become the latest trend, certainly on the streaming platforms, Killing Escobar is an excellent, well made piece of true crime content that fans of its genre should lap up. Highly recommended.
Killing Escobar
Summary
A hugely detailed account of the events of the attempted assassination of Pablo Escobar in 1989, engagingly and thrillingly told by those involved.
Killing Escobar plays as part of the 2021 Glasgow Film Festival.
