1. 

   LMJ
   July 19th, 2010 - 03:28

   When I heard that ‘Drug Wars’ was being released on DVD, I was pleased. It is, in fact, one of the best American TV miniseries’ ever made. However, this disc is not ‘Drug Wars’, but is rather a crude approximation of it. They took the 280 minute feature and edited it into a 130 minute trailer. All narrative depth is gone, and character development is non-existent. Also, it seems to have been re-edited so randomly that the plot ceases to make sense at several points. The reissue of this film was pointless, because it is not ‘Drug Wars.’ Why even bother releasing the film if you are going to deliberately sabotage it?
   Rating: 1 / 5
2. 

   Anonymous
   July 19th, 2010 - 03:56

   If you remember this mini-series from 90/91 and are seeking to own a copy, know that you’ll be getting a watered down version of what originally aired. The DVD version comes in at 130 minutes – while I don’t remember the exact running time of the tv series, it was probably in the neighborhood of 270 minutes given that it aired on three nights.

   So as you can see, about 1/2 the footage was cut taking out significant character and plot development. The final product is an odd collection of edits not doing justice to either the true story or original version.

   If you’re looking for some of Benicio Del Toro’s earlier work, this foots the bill though certainly not in a manner it could have with the unedited version.

   All in all, a rather disappointing product from editing to special features (virtually none).
   Rating: 1 / 5
3. 

   J. Canas
   July 19th, 2010 - 05:12

   When I first saw this mini-series I was impressed by it’s depth and it’s message. A group of policemen fighting against all odds, corruption and politics. It could even be stereotyped as a plot of good against evil. That was the original series. What they have done on the DVD was to condense it so much that the message, the rhythm, all the meaning is if not lost, very hard to find. Critical scenes were cut and the plot doesn’t make sense any more. If you have never seen the original, this might entertain you, but if you saw it, you will be disappointed.
   Rating: 1 / 5
4. 

   Enrique Caro Jr.
   July 19th, 2010 - 06:03

   The true Camarena case is a rather interesting story that deserved to be brought to the big screen but it was at least brought to the small screen as a 6 hour TV miniseries spanning 3 days in January 1990. Well I was too young to have seen it then, and I guess I missed out terribly because in 2003 a TWO HOUR (what the…?) DVD version came out. It is obviously a watered down and extremely edited version of the original but I can only assume, since I never had the chance to see the original series. What were the producers of this DVD thinking? Serious loop holes, little to no character buildup, key figures in the case are simply ommited or they were edited out, like Ernesto Fonseca, Caro Quintero’s partner and accused accomplice in the torture/murder of Agent Camarena, is seen only twice (?) and doesnt speak a word? Felix Gallardo another key figure, is only but a name in the credits, he is NEVER introduced in the DVD movie (although Caro Quintero and Fonseca Carrillo are) so viewers unfamiliar with the case dont even notice him or his role in the torture/murder…also along with Camarena, his Mexican pilot was also kidnapped, Alfredo Zavala Avelar, and in this movie he is “played” by Pepe Serna of Kingpin and Scarface fame, yet he is seen for like 5 seconds, flying an airplane, and only mentioned ONCE by a US official, so people watching this movie dont even know WHO he is, or where in the movie he is? His kidnapping from Guadalajara airport is not even depicted in the movie. Why omit an important part of the story? Jacob Vargas is also in the end credits as “Jose Zavala” yet in the movie, Jacob Vargas NOR “Jose Zavala” ever come up. What gives? I just hope in the future, producers come to their senses and release the FULL miniseries in a multi-disk pack instead of a chopped up, sloppy excuse for a movie. If your gonna release a movie that many say is one of the greatest TV movies of all time, then why erase more than half of it? It makes no sense, avoid this movie if your interested in the real Camarena story and pick up a book instead, Desperados by Elaine Shannon on which this movie is based (loosely).
   Rating: 2 / 5
5. 

   Vincent C. Vannicola
   July 19th, 2010 - 06:18

   Too many scenes were cut out from the original film. The scenes that were cut out greatly dilutes the full impact of this case and the conclusion as it relates to the consequences of those corupt individuals involved in the murder of Kiki Camerena.
   Rating: 1 / 5

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