Netflix’s Intense 91-Minute Action Thriller Is Officially One of the Biggest Movies in the World

Netflix’s global phenomenon action thriller isn’t slowing down on streaming, a month after it was first released. Netflix’s action movies rank among the biggest and most popular films in the world. K-Pop Demon Hunters is the biggest film in Netflix history, with Red Notice in second, and Carry-On in third. It’s safe to say that Netflix has the popular action formula down to a tee. But, last month, Netflix released an action thriller that’s against the grain for its usual big movies. It was made for a tiny budget, stars no major actors, and received almost no marketing. But, despite that, it is still one of the biggest movies on streaming.

A month after it was first released, Netflix’s Facing El Chapo is still one of the biggest films globally on streaming. TUDUM just dropped its weekly streaming figures, and Facing El Chapo is still holding strong in the top 10. When it was first released, Facing El Chapo was the biggest movie worldwide on streaming, regardless of language. Now, it has slowly slid down the streaming charts. At the time of writing, Facing El Chapo is the fifth most popular movie on the platform. It earned 2.4 million views over the past seven days, and it is the film’s fifth consecutive week on the non-English top 10. The recently released Vishwanath & Sons is in #1.

‘Facing El Chapo’ is One of Netflix’s Best New Action Thrillers

If the title didn’t give it away, Facing El Chapo is a Spanish-language movie set in Mexico where two cops unexpectedly come face to face with the eponymous drug lord. The film is based on the true story of the 2015 raid on El Chapo’s safehouse in an attempt to capture the violent cartel leader. El Chapo had escaped through an underground tunnel and surfaced by his getaway driver. But, when they’re pulled over on a routine traffic stop, the two cops on duty have to decide between accepting his very lucrative bribe, or doing the right thing and taking him in. But, if they choose the latter, they have to try and survive against the full force of his cartel.

Facing El Chapo is directed by Chava Cartas, and stars Alfonso Herrera and Noe Hernandez as the two cops, with Hector Kotsifakis as El Chapo. The film shows the failed raid, before El Chapo ends up in police custody, but most of the movie depicts the cops’ moral struggle, and their fight for survival in trying to do the right thing. It’s as tense as it is action packed.

‘Facing El Chapo’ Finally has a Rotten Tomatoes Score

Netflix facing El Chapo streaming success (1)

MovieWeb has been covering Facing El Chapo‘s success from the moment it dropped on Netflix (we’re just good like that). Because of its nonexistent marketing, the film didn’t have enough reviews to register a Rotten Tomatoes score when it was first released. But, its global popularity has now changed that, and it’s not surprising that the reviews are positive. Facing El Chapo holds a 79% Rotten Tomatoes user score. Meanwhile, on Letterboxd, it has a similarly decent 3.1/5 stars.