Under Siege Review
Director: Jayro Bustamante, Edgar Nito, and Samir Oliveros
Date Created: 2026-11-06 23:12
3.5
Under Siege Review: Directed by Jayro Bustamante, Edgar Nito, and Samir Oliveros, Palacio is an eight-episode Colombian historical docudrama inspired by the real-life 1985 Palace of Justice siege in Bogotá. With episodes running approximately 50 to 60 minutes, the Netflix series features Natalia Reyes as Pilar Navarrete, Luna Baxter as Olga Behar, Mariana Gómez as La Mona, Carlos Manuel Vesga as Colonel (Ret.) Alfonso Plazas Vega, Robinson Díaz as Belisario Betancur, Santiago Alarcón as Alfonso Reyes Echandía, Nicole Santamaría as Angela María Buitrago, Andrés Castañeda as Eduardo Umaña, Camilo Amores as Jimmy Beltrán, and Jacobo Millán as Santiago Álvarez, among others.
Under Siege Review
Netflix series Under Siege begins in 1985, during which time Colombia was already plagued by political turmoil, the increasing strength of drug cartels, and the complex interactions between the government and M-19 guerrillas. The focal point of the story revolves around the Palace of Justice, where Supreme Court judges face pressure on the issue of extraditing drug smugglers, especially those belonging to the Medellín Cartel. At the same time, M-19 was also planning a campaign to take over the palace and compel the governmentnment to answer for its deeds. A simple political showdown quickly turns into a disastrous situation involving hundreds of hostages and a military response from the government.
With the nature and scope of the event itself, there was plenty of opportunity to make this into an ordinary political thriller complete with all the confrontations and excitement that one would expect. What Netflix’s Under Siege opted to do instead is spend quite a bit of time developing the characters before throwing them into the middle of a situation they will never be able to leave. I think that this was an excellent choice to make since it adds some emotional depth to the storyline.
The example of Jimmy Beltrán and his family can be used to support the effectiveness of this aspect. Jimmy is not a person participating in negotiations on any level or making military decisions. Jimmy is a man who needs to fulfil his financial obligations, take care of paying school fees for his children, and earn money for better conditions for his family. The discussion between Jimmy and his wife Pilar about their debts and savings may appear quite trivial, however, taking into account what will happen to this family in the nearest future. For Jimmy, going to work at the Palace is just one more common day of his routine life.
Pilar adds a lot of depth and emotion to the Netflix Colombian series Under Siege. I enjoyed how her character is not simply introduced in order to bring in a familial element. It is her bond with Jimmy and her worries regarding his safety that show how personal the repercussions of the siege become. As soon as the events turn out of control, Pilar’s fight is not about her own stability and future planning anymore; she wants to find the answer to the question about her loved one. Natalia Reyes manages to express this well through Pilar’s emotional growth.
It is also worth mentioning that I found the political aspect of the story rather appealing, especially the struggle revolving around the extradition treaty. As Supreme Court President, Alfonso Reyes Echandía finds himself in a really tough spot. He realises the significance of holding on to justice despite all the pressure that the higher-ups may apply to the court to change its stance on the case. The threatening actions of the Medellín Cartel add an extra dimension to his story since it becomes clear what dangers it entails to oppose those who consider themselves higher than the law. However, I wish some of the political discussions were delivered more urgently.
I like the storyline regarding the M-19 organisation since the series does not present the members as people with the same motivation. The disagreements in the operation, the dangers of the operation, and the amount of violence required make the decisions of the members complicated. In addition, the storyline, including the relationship between Memo and Mona, makes the story more interesting. The fact that Mona joins the movement based on what she had been witnessing about the activities of Memo helps us see the link between the personal relations and the political ideologies. Furthermore, the disagreement between Fayad and Lázaro shows us how people in the same organisation have different views regarding the consequences of their actions.
Another character that I liked was Olga Behar. She was presented as an important personality due to the fact that she was a TV journalist, which brings up the role of media coverage in relation to political occurrences. Moreover, this character helps to create an aura of uncertainty in relation to the country’s fate. There are many sides: the government, the army, guerrillas, and even the judicial branch of the country each have their own stance.
An outstanding element of the Colombian series Under Siege is the production. The creation of the Palace of Justice and the whole environment provides a credible period. It is crucial in the narrative because many people and their functions are related to the building. The production also realises that the tragedy does not require the continuous intensity of the visuals in order to emphasise its gravity. The suspense lies in understanding that there are so many people involved in the situation that it gets out of control really quickly.
As for the weak sides of the Netflix Under Siege series, the thing that bothers me most is the pace. Eight episodes that take an hour each demand a lot of patience from the audience, and there are moments when the story seems to drag on too much. While it is essential to introduce the characters, there are times when the dialogue and political events could be dealt with much more quickly. The constant changing of points of view also makes the story a bit confusing sometimes.
Netflix Under Siege Review: Summing Up
Overall, the 2026 Under Siege series is an intriguing drama in which the story is more convincing due to its human aspect rather than its thriller aspects. I appreciate how the series is able to link political moves to the ordinary people who do not really have any power when it comes to these decisions.
The series may be slow, sometimes even confusing and overblown, yet the emotional moments and performances will help you survive it. What is especially memorable about it is how well the series manages to convey the idea that the tragedy does not come to an end after the immediate violence. People who are left without answers and explanations have to keep searching for them for many years.
