Mexican action movie La captura has entered the top 10 most popular films on Netflix worldwide following its release on the streaming platform.
The 91-minute action thriller, released internationally under the English title Facing El Chapo, is directed by Mexican filmmaker Chava Cartas and based on real events.
The story follows two police officers, Arturo Carmona, played by Alfonso Herrera, and Hector Rosales, played by Noe Hernandez, who are tasked with guarding drug cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman until military reinforcements arrive. Hector Kotsifakis stars as Guzman.
Written by Bernardo Esquinca, the narrative unfolds during Operation Black Swan, a real-life operation conducted by the Mexican Navy in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Sinaloa is a coastal state in northwestern Mexico known as a key center for regional law enforcement security operations.
The ensemble cast also features Paola Fernandez, Antonio Fortier, Allan Durell, Fernando Cuautle, Gerardo Trejoluna, Juan Pablo Cruz Garcia and Isaac Bravo. Director Chava Cartas previously directed the feature films Counterattack and Mirreyes contra Godinez: Las Vegas.
Mexican military thriller Counterattack
For viewers seeking similar content, several action thrillers available on Netflix offer comparable themes. Among the top recommendations is Counterattack, a Mexican military action film also directed by Cartas from a screenplay by Jose Ruben Escalante Mendez.
The film follows a unit of military personnel who come under fire from a squad of assassins while traveling along the border between Mexico and the United States. Actor Noe Hernandez appears in the cast of Counterattack as well as La captura.
According to the official synopsis, Captain Guerrero and his elite squad are ambushed by a criminal organization after rescuing two hostages and making a new enemy.
International action thrillers on Netflix
Another major recommendation is the 2019 action thriller Close, released under the title Escolta in Latin America and La protectora in Spain. Directed by Vicky Jewson, the film stars Swedish actress Noomi Rapace alongside Sophie Nelisse.
Rapace plays Sam, an expert anti-terrorist bodyguard tasked with protecting Zoe, a wealthy heiress portrayed by Nelisse. According to the plot description, when Zoe becomes the target of a lethal conspiracy, Sam takes extreme measures to rescue her, including teaching the young woman how to kill.
Streaming audiences can also watch The Last Days of American Crime, released in 2020 as Los ultimos dias del crimen. Directed by Olivier Megaton, the sci-fi action film takes place in a near future where the United States government prepares to broadcast a secret signal to prevent all criminal activity.
Before the signal is activated, a bank robber joins a criminal crew to execute a historic multi-million dollar final heist.
Crime dramas and historical action
The selection includes Hierarchy, a 2025 crime thriller directed by Russell K Reed and written by Chiderah Uzowulu. The story follows two brothers planning a major robbery to escape poverty.
Their criminal operation begins to unravel right before the heist when a figure from their past returns. The brothers are forced to flee from police and the Russian mafia while coping with the sudden disruption.
For historical action, the 2022 film Sisu takes place in Finnish Lapland during 1944 in the final days of World War II. Written and directed by Jalmari Helander, the film centers on Aatami Korpi, a solitary former commando and gold prospector in northern Finland.
When a Nazi death squad tries to steal his gold, Korpi becomes a relentless one-man army to defeat the soldiers in the Finnish wilderness.
