Netflix’s new action crime thriller is still one of the biggest movies on streaming, despite having almost no marketing, no recognizable actors, and facing some really tough competition. It’s actually impressive that Netflix still supports smaller-budget action films, considering Ted Sarandos has almost all the money in the world to throw at A-list stars and expensive CGI that nobody actually enjoys. However, it’s even more of a miracle when one of those movies hits the big time, becoming one of the biggest films in the world on streaming. So forget Apex, move over Tom Hardy’s Havoc, and what even is an Alan Ritchson or a War Machine?
When Facing El Chapo first debuted on Netflix in August, it very quickly shot to the top of the global streaming charts. Directed by Chava Cartas, the movie is based on the true story of El Chapo’s (real name: Joaquín Guzmán) capture in 2016. Alfonso Herrera and Noe Hernandez lead the film as Carmona and Rosales, two traffic cops who unexpectedly pull over El Chapo during a routine traffic stop. Unbeknownst to them, El Chapo had recently escaped from a house raid. The film follows Carmona and Rosales as they wrestle with El Chapo’s very luxurious bribes and the question of doing the right thing and handing him in to the authorities.
‘Facing El Chapo’ Is Still an Action Sensation on Netflix
This isn’t the first time we’ve covered Facing El Chapo‘s popularity here on MovieWeb. Again, when it dropped back in August, it was the biggest film worldwide. Its popularity has slowly waned over the past few weeks, but it is still a gigantic hit. TUDUM‘s latest streaming numbers have revealed that Facing El Chapo is still fighting strong in Netflix’s non-English top 10. This week, Facing El Chapo is the fourth most popular non-English movie on the platform, having amassed 3.4 million views over the past seven days. Gandahari holds the top spot, with 9.6 million views.
To put that into perspective, 3.4 million views would make it the 10th most popular movie on Netflix overall this week. Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again? is in first with a staggering 19.3 million views during its first week on Netflix.
Netflix Needs More Lower-Budget Action Movies like ‘Facing El Chapo’
Nobody is complaining about Netflix’s high-octane, high-budget action thrillers, like The Rip and War Machine. But the success of Facing El Chapo proves that there is clearly a demand for more reserved and grounded action movies. Admittedly, the true story behind its plot has certainly helped its popularity. But when streamers like STARZ are finding immense success with films like Hierarchy (which was made for just $100k — that’s a fraction of the catering budget on most blockbuster movies), these kinds of films are clearly resonating. Facing El Chapo received next-to-no marketing from Netflix, meaning that all of its popularity and growth are purely organic. And, from Netflix’s perspective, why waste hundreds of millions on expensive films and big-name actors when these smaller movies are just as successful?
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