“The Extortion”: An Intense Argentine Thriller on HBO Max

One day, an airline pilot is approached by some men who give him a choice between helping them get some suitcases out of the country or having his secrets revealed that could destroy the life he has. Thus begins "The Extortion," an excellent Argentine thriller in which we follow the story of an individual who must confront a force that transcends and corners him. The film was a hit in theaters in the South American country and is now available worldwide on the streaming service HBO Max.

It stars renowned Argentine actor Guillermo Francella ("Heist of the Century," "All Hail"). The cast is completed by Pablo Rago ("The Secret in Their Eyes"), Carlos Portaluppi ("Argentina, 1985"), Mónica Villa ("Wild Tales"), Alberto Ajaka ("Apache"), and Guillermo Arengo ("Santa Evita"). Martino Zaidelis ("Super Crazy") is directing.

A Story of Uncertainty and Surprises

The story "The Extortion" introduces us to Alejandro Petrossián, a long-time airline pilot who loves his profession. His colleagues respect him, his retirement is near, and he has a happy relationship with a female cabin crew member who works for the same airline. His life seems to be a happy one. However, his stability is shattered when individuals identifying as members of the country's intelligence service threaten to reveal two of his secrets.

The first is that he is having an affair with a female doctor, and the second is that this woman helped him falsify medical tests indicating that he has hearing problems, which would warrant immediate removal from his position. If this information were made public, it would devastate his sentimental and professional life and could also land him in jail. Finding himself cornered, the pilot is forced to comply with a dangerous request made by the agents: to carry several suitcases on his route from Argentina to Madrid, the contents of which he does not know.

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In this way, Petrossián will immerse himself in a network of smuggling and corruption involving influential figures and individuals who move in the shadows. Anxiety and mistrust will accompany each pilot's steps, who must follow precise indications in moving and exchanging the suitcases. As usually happens in these stories, there will be several complications that the protagonist will have to face.

"The Extortion" is a well-made thriller. It offers a story full of suspense that unsettles and engages. It also has in store in its development several twists that will surprise the viewer. The film is divided into two distinct blocks. The first part is full of questions. We share the pilot's uncertainty as he still determines what he is transporting, who is extorting him, or if he can trust some of the characters in the story. As these doubts are answered, the story mutates, and a dangerous game of persecution and calculated movements is established in which each of the parties will be surprised. At this point, the main character will have to worry about his reputation or freedom and his life.

Overall, "The Extortion" can be classified as a good thriller that shows the capacity of Argentine cinema to create stories of different genres. Available on HBO Max,