Money Heist Part 3 Review: Flashier, Bigger, Better
As one of Netflix’s biggest international hits, Money Heist returns with Part 3 with some high expectations. Not only does it meet them, it exceeds with its first three episodes of eight, raising the stakes and going bigger.
Going bigger doesn’t always mean better, but here it’s used to drill deeper into these characters as they find themselves occupying completely different lives. After the events of the first two parts, they have changed somewhat, their dynamics no longer the same as before, and it’s for personal reasons they dive back into the fray of the heist world.
One of their own, Rio, is captured, and so the robbery becomes a monstrously difficult effort to draw the enemy out and rescue him.
What’s immediately noticeable is the more mature means of storytelling. Money Heist is flashy and more like a big, glossy action film now. The move to Netflix and becoming an original has upped the budget a hefty amount, allowing scenes to play out with elegant style.
The first two parts are by no means lacking in vision; but here, with glitzy locales and a penchant for elaborate camera shots and pulse-pounding and energetic action, Money Heist certainly commands the screen with its upgraded visual flair. The lead-up to the robbery is a wonderful tension-filled build-up, the scale so much bigger and so much more dangerous.
It’s what makes Money Heist Part 3 a compelling success during these first three episodes. After everything they have been through, and with Rio on the line, there’s this sense of foreboding with this incredibly likeable cast.
Alvaro Morte’s Professor commands and controls the operation with just as much compassion and dedication. Itziar Ituno’s Raquel finds herself in a completely different circumstance but rises to the occasion, creating a new and fascinating dynamic with the band.
Ursula Corbero’s Tokyo works a lot better this go-around, where before some of her choices did not quite land; here, she’s an engaging figure with such a personal reason to be part of the heist. She’s the heart of the season so far, and really delivers.
Other cast members including Alba Flores (as Nairobi), Jaime Lorente (as Denver), Esther Acebo (as Monica), and newcomers Rodrigo de la Serna (as Palermo) and Hovik Keuchkerian (as Bogota) all round out this perfect cast, each one adding to the stakes with their already grown personal connections. Palermo, especially, is a unique figure who fairly quickly molds into the cast like he’s always been there.
Even the most entertaining performer from the two parts returns, Pedro Alonso’s Berlin (though it’s a spoiler to say how). He’s still as great, keeping you glued to him during any scene he takes over.
A theme touched on during the two parts but more present now is public sentiment. It’s a fascinating idea, to turn narrative and perception into its own form of battle, and it works wonders in portraying the group as a band of Robin Hoods stealing from the rich to help the poor.
Money Heist takes its already solid foundation and builds a new heist on top of it, able to take what’s come before and inject into it more scale, more action and tension, and deeper personal stakes. Part 3 is a massive success with its first three episodes, and what’s in store will certainly be addictive.
What did you think of this season of Money Heist? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Money Heist arrives on Netflix Friday, July 19.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.