Summary
A spectacular bank robbery that you have to see to believe.
Netflix documentary film Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist was released on the streaming service on August 10, 2022.
Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist is the latest true crime documentary to hit Netflix and is the story surrounding Argentina’s most famous bank robbery. With exclusive interviews, we get details on how and why they carried out the event. There is so much drama and detail in this story, you need to hear and see it to believe it. I love how the documentary opens with the question, “Why did you rob a bank?” I was instantly gripped and invested. Ethics and morals are up for debate in this documentary as it’s suggested we should all have the same, but clearly, we don’t.
On January 13th, In 2006, police were called about a bank robbery. A group of men broke into a Buenos Aires bank, taking 23 innocent people hostage, stealing millions of dollars and jewelry from safes, and then, like magic, completely vanished. They almost would have gotten away with it, but the plot takes a dramatic turn when an ex-wife of one of the thieves betrays them. With a running time of 1 hour and 49 minutes, this documentary film is an exhilarating and thrilling watch.
Ruben de la Torre aka Beto, Sebastian Garcia Bolster, Julian Zalloecheverria, and Fernando Araujo, Mario Luis Vitette Sellanes, were the main culprits of this crime, although it is suspected there were two more involved who were never charged. Each of them brought something to the scandal, they all fit together, almost like a jigsaw puzzle and they pulled off a masterpiece. Following a bible of protocols, they learned to understand the methodology and timings of the police. Knowing thy enemy is always the key to winning.
It’s almost surreal as during the incident it’s reported that the robbers ordered pizza and soft drinks for the hostages and sang happy birthday to a lawyer. Like a scene from a film, there were roughly 200 officers surrounding the building, but the bad guys still managed to escape. Hilariously, leaving behind toy guns. How did they escape? They took note from the incredible film, Shawshank Redemption, and escaped through a tunnel to get into an underground sewage system, where an accomplice waited for them to escape in a boat. At this point, I’m applauding for the confidence, gumption, and planning that went into this heist.
Impressive, eye-opening, and unbelievable. The thieves said that there had to be art in this, and the idea and planning of how to rob a bank took over. Almost an obsession. With the level of thought and details and meticulous planning, you can believe that if it weren’t for the ex, they probably would have gotten away with it. It is amazing how one person can simply bring down an entire operation. Her motive? Revenge. After seeing her husband in the car with his lover, she turned him into the police and identified four of the other men. I actually felt a bit bad for them — sympathizing with criminals, what next?
The style of this documentary is very arty and creative. Scenes have been created for dramatic effect, and some are beautifully constructed, so well that they are feature film quality. Very much like a film, rather than just being told the story and having supporting old video footage, they’ve created content as if it’s real-time. There is a lot going on, visually, but it holds your attention. If you don’t have other footage to use and rely on, this is the best way to go.
From beginning to end, this documentary is a fascinating watch. You get a glimpse into the mind of a criminal, a thief, and scarily an insight into how what we think we may only see in the movies can actually happen in real life. As perfect as their planning was, they still got caught, so don’t get cocky thinking you might be able to do the same and win.
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You can watch this film with a subscription to Netflix.
