Kaleidoscope is a crime-thriller series that follows a group of thieves as they plan and carry out an elaborate heist of 7 billion dollars in bonds. The series is streaming on Netflix and can be viewed in any particular episode order.
Story
Leo Pap rounds up a crew to steal 7 billion dollars worth of bonds from a high-security vault belonging to Roger Salas. Salas is housing the bonds on behalf of a trio of influential bankers known as the Triplets, but he has a secret past.
He used to be Leo’s partner more than 20 years ago but Leo was betrayed by Roger and sent to jail. After getting out, he learns that his daughter is working for Roger so he tells her the truth and plans to get revenge on Roger by robbing his vault.
There is tension within the members of the group as they are constantly faced with hurdles, one of them being an FBI agent named Nazan Abbassi.
Things barely go according to plan and not all of them truly get what they desire at the end of this elaborate and risky heist.
Performances
Giancarlo Esposito has a well-established reputation at this point and his turn as Leo Pap adds to his growing list of stately performances. He brings in certain gravitas to the role that is a joy to behold.
Paz Vega plays Ava Mercer, Leo’s closest ally and she performs the role with charm. She’s the most collected member of the group after Leo but she also has her moments of vulnerability.
Peter Mark Kendall, Rosaline Elbay, and Jai Courtney play the trio of Stan, Judy and Bob respectively their interactions are always tense and heated. They work extremely well together.
Niousha Noor’s performance as Nazan Abbasi is quite good in the series. She serves as a constant roadblock to the crew in her quest for justice and her end is particularly tragic.
Rufus Sewell plays the primary antagonist, Roger Salas although he isn’t a typically evil person. Sewell does a great job in his role, especially in the episode exploring their past.
Positives
The story is expertly constructed to ensure the claims that the series can be viewed in any particular order. Allowing for different perspectives to be observed is brilliant storytelling.
The visuals are exemplary as each episode is littered with tinges of the same colour as the title of the episode. The design of the vault and the various other sets are magnificent and finely detailed.
The ensemble cast receives masterful direction from the various directors working on the series. There is uniformity throughout while also allowing certain moments of individual flair.
The soundtrack is also perfectly curated for the heist genre with many jazz-inspired or adjacent tunes setting the right tone for the series.
Negatives
There are one or two episodes that drop off in pace making them slightly uneven. The intensity isn’t maintained for the duration of these episodes.
Verdict
Kaleidoscope (2022) is a visionary piece of filmmaking that could pioneer other projects of a similar nature. An engrossing narrative with multiple twists and turns, each letting the audience form a different opinion based on the order it is being watched in.
The series works as a general heist story but is elevated by the backgrounds of the characters and how their pasts intertwine.
Kaleidoscope
Director: Mairzee Almas, Everardo Gout, José Padilha, Robert Townsend
Date Created: 2023-01-01 13:30
3.5
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