Medellin (2023)

Medellin is the kind of action-comedy that wins you over with sheer momentum: a loud, fast, gleefully irresponsible romp where every “simple plan” detonates into a bigger, funnier mess. Franck Gastambide keeps the pace punchy and the vibe carefree even as the stakes get nastier, letting the humor come from bravado, bad decisions, and the chemistry of a mismatched rescue team that never should’ve left the gym. The set pieces are staged with enough snap to satisfy action fans, while the performances—especially Ramzy Bedia’s frantic determination and the film’s parade of unexpected faces—make it easy to just go along for the ride. It’s not for viewers looking for realism or restraint, but if you want a darkly comic, high-energy getaway that doesn’t overthink itself, it’s an easy yes.

Medellin is clearly trying to be a loud, chaotic “French bros vs cartel” action-comedy, leaning on outrageous escalation, social-media satire, and a vacation-from-hell vibe. The problem is it often mistakes stupidity for punchlines, so the humor can feel try-hard and repetitive, and the action is a bit too modest to sell the “insane plan” premise at full volume. It also gets nastier and bloodier than some viewers will want from a comedy, and the final stretch reportedly fumbles its momentum with choices that leave the ending feeling deflating rather than triumphant. If you’re in the mood for dumb, messy energy and can enjoy the cast bouncing off each other (with the novelty of Mike Tyson showing up), you might have a decent time—but if you need sharp writing, clever satire, or slick action, this one will probably waste your evening.