We propose a possible way to see one of Netflix’s latest bets, a non-linear narrative mini-series that can be consumed by alternating the chronology of the chapters. It tells the umpteenth great assault on a vault
From Netflix, trying to innovate in the promotion, they have sold us a new interactive audiovisual experience that is not as exciting as they paint it: the possibility of watching a series alternating the order of its chapters. This singular modality of viewing does not mean that several readings of the same story are offered. There is only one story, seen ‘Kaleidoscope’ in any way as a whole, even if we surrender to a random sense. Nothing to do, for example, with the phenomenon ‘Bandersnatch’, the chapter of ‘Black Mirror’ offered on the same platform, whose conception squeezed the old idea of “choose your own adventure” with greater success. Here you can break the chronology of the eight chapters, named with colors -present in the art direction and costumes-, with the exception of the last one, named ‘White’. This latest installment is in charge of describing the robbery around which the events revolve, displaying a collection of characters, well interpreted, with whom one empathizes despite the accumulation of tics.
In the shadow of the success of ‘La casa de papel’, available in the same streaming catalog, any adventure around a great robbery, with a vault that looks like an amusement park, is welcome. ‘Hidden plan’, the Spike Lee film that has inspired numerous productions of this type in recent years, is also present in a choral proposal that deserves a place in our multi-screen spectator agenda without the need to pull the claim of its breakup of linear narration, a mirage once the binge of episodes is over. There is not as much originality as the one that is intended to be sold, which does not mean that we are dealing with a correct entertainment product.
A frame from fiction.
The best of ‘Kaleidoscope’, as we anticipated, are its actors, an inspired cast headed by Giancarlo Esposito, a subject with an extensive career that has not stopped working lately in all kinds of serialized productions, acting as a villain in ‘The Mandalorian’, peeking out his head leaving his mark in ‘The Boys’ or defending the role of a religious addicted to power in ‘The Godfather of Harlem’. He is accompanied, among other faces, by the Spanish Paz Vega, with a role that elegantly plays both sides, and Jai Courtney, Captain Boomerang from ‘Suicide Squad’, who replicates his cocky and pathetic airs. Rufus Sewell, Tati Gabrielle, Peter Mark Kendall, Rosaline Elbay, Niousha Noor, Jordan Mendoza, Soojeong Son, and Hemky Madera complete the main cast. Behind the invention is the showrunner Eric Garcia, with little experience to highlight to date, except for ‘Supah Ninjas’, with a successful title but unfortunate packaging.
The series alternates moments of action with other dramatic ones, with jumps in time over 25 years. Whether the chapter we see is a flash-back or a flash-forward will depend precisely on the order we choose, although if we let Netflix decide for us, it will probably propose ‘Yellow’ or ‘Green’ as the starting signal. The latter, the menthol, which describes the escape from prison of the protagonist defined by Esposito, a thief betrayed by an old companion in fatigues, is one of the weakest of the lot, so it is advisable to opt for the other piece directly. ‘Red’ is the shortest chapter, barely half an hour, easy to digest, while ‘Rosa’ is revealed to be the most violent, with echoes of ‘Fargo’ and Tarantino, with some absurd shootings. Some character decisions feel forced, though not overly annoying, such as twists, for the sake of entertainment.
disorder and concert
The ‘Yellow’ episode is more engaging than the ‘Green’, but one must not boast of lucidity to imagine that the result of the series is irregular, with some chapters more interesting than others. The ‘Orange’, focused on the police officer, specifically from the FBI, who pursues the robbers, may even be expendable. Seeing ‘White’ as a conclusion, as required, does not mean that the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly. There are some gaps, some apparently unimportant holes that must be mentally filled if we decide to underline the final reading of the celebration -quite bitter, by the way, emotionally-. The development of the characters can vary according to the order, without affecting the whole, as well as the sexual tension that arises between some of them. The ‘Violet’ chapter is the great flash-back that explains the tragedy that led to the imprisonment of the leader of the gang of assailants and his desire for revenge. The rejuvenation of some actors is very successful, unlike other titles that have given rise to hurtful comments on social networks, such as ‘The Irishman’, by Martin Scorsese.
‘Kaleidoscope’ follows a traditional formula, despite the fact that the word innovation is used when talking about the series. That is to say, the plot is simple if it were not raised, without an iron reason, as an unpredictable puzzle facing the audience. A charismatic subject, veteran, lover of others, with a resume as a white glove thief that is not so much, recruits a group of misfits, each member specializing in their own, to take a stratospheric loot. The master plan encounters its difficulties and holds some surprises for us. Ambition, honor and betrayal.
‘Kaleidoscope’, another twist on the adventures of a gang of peculiar thugs facing a great challenge, each with their own characteristics, like contemporary Robin Hoods, is slightly inspired by a real case, the disappearance of 70,000 million dollars in Bonds in Midtown Manhattan during the Hurricane Sandy tragedy. The list of episodes, in a logical order, would look like this: ‘Yellow’ (6 weeks before the robbery), ‘Green’ (7 years before the robbery), ‘Blue’ (5 days before the robbery), ‘Orange’ ( 3 weeks before the robbery), ‘Violet’ (24 years before the robbery), ‘Red’ (the morning after the robbery), ‘Rosa’ (6 months later), and ‘White’ (the robbery). The series has been praised by Stephen King himself on his Twitter account, encouraging people to devour it according to this scheme. The combinations can number in the hundreds, but you don’t need to experiment too much to reach the same goal. The adventure loses its grace if time is ordered, that is clear, and whoever wants to vary as much as possible and dare to close with the ‘Rosa’, for example, after the ‘White’, breaking the rules, will probably think of a possible second season or stay with a somewhat sharp The End. It is not a revolutionary idea, let us emphasize, but it is effective and deserves a check among our pending tasks as a serially addicted public.
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