Whether it's Y tu mamá también or Casa de mi Padre, it's always a delight to see long-time friends and collaborators Gael García Bernal and Diego Lun
Whether it’s Y tu mamá también or Casa de mi Padre, it’s always a delight to see long-time friends and collaborators Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna on screen together. Hulu’s first Spanish-language original series, La Máquina, sees the duo reunite in the boxing ring this time to bring to life an idea that they first conceived of over a decade ago. While the concept may have been the brainchild of Bernal and Luna, Marco Ramirez, who wrote the series, is better known for his work on scripts for Sons of Anarchy, Orange Is the New Black, and Daredevil, which led to him creating The Defenders and the short-lived Twilight Zone reboot.
La Máquina throws its audiences right into the pre-match chaos, as Esteban “La Máquina” Osuna (Bernal) prepares to go up against a younger and more skilled competitor. The ensuing loss sets into motion a series of events that no one could have foreseen, not even his best friend and manager, Andy Lujan (Luna), who does his best to ensure that they all come out on top. Unlike modern-day wrestling—which most people understand to be a scripted form of entertainment—boxing has a long and sordid history with corruption and match-fixing allegations, even as recently as 2018. This seedy underbelly serves as the driving plot of La Máquina. When Andy pushes for Esteban to have a rematch to reclaim his reigning title as a champion, the pushback from a nefarious, scheming organization has deadly consequences for everyone in the friends’ lives.
Gael García Bernal Is Exceptional in ‘La Máquina’
While the six-episode series seems to suit La Máquina, the ensemble cast could have benefited from a longer season that would have allowed the audience to become more invested in their characters. As it stands, three episodes are simply not enough time to feel any emotional reaction when the first member of the ensemble goes for a swim with the fishes. The stakes are high, but they can only mine so much emotion from an apathetic audience.
Most of La Máquina’s issues are rooted in the series’ pacing choices. Each episode has a similar structure to it after the premiere, which is: spending the first twenty minutes reacting to whatever happened in the last five minutes of the episode prior, before doing it all over again. Hooking audiences with the last five minutes is a clever writing style that worked a decade ago when series regularly debuted week-to-week, but it falls flat with the bingeable streaming model. Instead, it leads to feeling like you’re on a rollercoaster with a few occasional drops. The final episode was not made available for review, so it’s difficult to judge whether La Máquina is able to tie up all of its loose ends, but by the penultimate episode it feels as though there are even more story threads for the series to address, and very little time to do so.
La Máquina may have its faults, but it stands alongside Becoming Karl Lagerfeld as a bold departure from what American audiences have come to expect from Disney-backed streamer Hulu. It isn’t an IP-driven prequel or even based on a true story: it’s a wholly unique series, crafted by a creative team that cares, not only about the story it seeks to tell but about the people—the community—that they brought together to make it. This industry needs more bold, unexpected storytelling that forces its audience to wonder “who” the series was made for. Corporate bottom lines might tell you that art needs an established audience for it to exist, but art will always find its intended viewers. Bernal and Luna are a force to be reckoned with when they share the screen together, and that alone will draw folks in. The execution may be shaky at times, but the unraveling mystery threaded throughout La Máquina will keep the audience clicking “play next episode” until the end.
La Máquina premieres with all six episodes October 9 on Hulu.
Conclusion:
La Máquina is a bold and unique series that showcases the talents of Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna. While it has its flaws, the series’ pacing issues and lack of emotional investment, it is a must-watch for fans of boxing and drama. The unraveling mystery and the characters’ complex relationships will keep you hooked until the end.
FAQs:
Q: What is La Máquina about?
A: La Máquina is a six-episode series that follows the story of Esteban “La Máquina” Osuna, a boxer who is struggling to come to terms with his loss and his own identity.
Q: Who is the creative team behind La Máquina?
A: The series was written by Marco Ramirez, who is known for his work on Sons of Anarchy, Orange Is the New Black, and Daredevil.
Q: Why is La Máquina a unique series?
A: La Máquina is a wholly unique series that is not based on a true story or an IP-driven prequel. It is a bold and unexpected storytelling that forces its audience to wonder “who” the series was made for.
Q: Is La Máquina worth watching?
A: Yes, La Máquina is a must-watch for fans of boxing and drama. The unraveling mystery and the characters’ complex relationships will keep you hooked until the end.
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