Santa Evita is an Argentine web series based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Tomás Eloy Martínez, who also serves as the creator of the show. The script is written by Marcela Guerty and Pamela Rementeria with directors Rodrigo Garcia Barcha (son of Gabriel García Márquez) and Alejandro Maci helming it. Salma Hayek serves as one of the producers for the show.
Natalia Oreiro headlines the series in the role of the iconic Eva Perón. Alongside her, we will see Ernesto Alterio, Dario Grandinetti, Domingo Peron, Diego Velazquez, Francesc Orella, Diego Cremonesi as Eduardo Arancibia, Ivan Moschner, Gabriela Ferrero, Hector Diaz amongst others. The series consists of seven episodes, each with a runtime ranging from 40-45 minutes, approximately.
– Hulu’s Santa Evita Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Santa Evita: Argentina’s First Lady Comes to Life
Not a lot of people are aware of the massive force Eva Peron aka Evita has been throughout her life and also in death. Argentina’s First Lady, Peron was a charismatic and beautiful actor of her time and along with that a politician and an activist. She was the glamourous icon that became the voice of the women of South America as well as fought for the rights of the working classes. One a kind, Peron’s death came in early and what entailed after her death is what makes the crux of Santa Evita.
Releasing on the exact 70th anniversary of Eva Peron’s death, the series starts off on the rain-clad gloomy day of her death and how Evita was preserved and embalmed. The show often jumps between timelines telling the tale, so there is no linear fashion in which things unwrap.
We meet Evita dead as well as alive and take on the eventful journey that her embalmed body went through over two decades. The series gives us glimpses of Evita’s 33 years of wonderful yet bittersweet life and how her corpse was kept in a perpetual waiting for the construction of a monument to bury her.
Also Read: House of the Dragon Trailer Breakdown: Rhaenyra’s Fight For the Throne, Daemon’s Succession and More
The twist of fate in 1955, when Evita’s husband lost his place as a President and the country was under the rule of a military coup, how the military hid her body for 19 years and replicas of the corpse floated around all unfold with dramatic key details in this miniseries.
How does the beloved Evita become the symbol of fear and influence the flow of the air even after being a corpse lies hidden in every chapter of this gripping Hulu original. It bravely embodies the tale of one of the most important women in this world, who was dangerous and a darling, in life and death.
The fact that there has been a huge investment to bring this real-life story to the reel reflects quite amiably throughout Santa Evita. The production design starting from the sets to the costume is really noteworthy and, being a period drama it nails every bit of bringing the changing essence from the 1950s to the screen. Santa Evita also does not shy away from being real in portraying the disputed period of Argentina’s history, making it rather genuine, eventful and educational, in certain aspects.
Nonetheless, there are moments where you feel certain events are being trivialized and certain ones dramatized to aid the sensational storytelling of the show. It does not always stand out and, makes the sparks go away at times but if you stick through it long enough they get adjusted with some high-end acting performances delivered by the actors.
Natalia Oreiro, in particular, is probably the best person to be cast in the role of the famous Evita. She gives out that strong presence similar to Eva Peron who moved thousands but, there are vulnerable times and the actor really puts her skills to show by making all the emotional adjustments to the character just right. Aiding the perfect cast in this miniseries is the use of real, documentary-format archive images that seamlessly melt into the cinematography, which is helmed by Chango Monti, the best Argentine cinema houses.
Santa Evita: Final Verdict
Santa Evita is an important addition to the ever-growing list of historical biographical dramas. With smooth and appreciable production and a talented star cast, the miniseries has turned out to be something that will attract viewers from all over the world and at the same time, will not offend the readers of the classic piece of Argentine literature.
You can stream Santa Evita now on Hulu and Disney+ Hotstar.
Also Read: Planning to Watch Rebelde Season 2? Here’s Everything That Happened in Season 1