Netflix’s Argentine psychological thriller Maledictions centers on the kidnapping of Zoe, the daughter of a powerful northern-state governor, and unspools over three episodes that together run just over 120 minutes.
A review at Decider by Joel Keller recommends streaming the series while suggesting it works best if approached like a feature film rather than a multi-episode drama. The plot begins when Zoe’s driver and her father, Governor Fernando Rovira, stop answering their phones. It soon becomes clear that Román Sabaté, a close staffer, has taken Zoe and is driving her away while leaving the governor’s driver bound by the roadside.
Leonardo Sbaraglia plays Rovira, Gustavo Bassani is Román and Francesca Resua portrays Zoe. Early scenes establish political stakes: Rovira is fighting to defeat a contentious bill that would limit lithium mining in his state, arguing the restrictions would harm the regional economy. Román’s actions soon suggest the kidnapping is tied to that dispute, as he cuts the fence of a hydroelectric plant connected to lithium operations and steals documents before heading to an undisclosed location with Zoe.
The Decider review highlights the series’ tense atmosphere and tightly paced action sequences, while noting that the three-part structure feels more like a film split into segments than a traditional serialized drama. The reviewer writes that the first installment compresses a large amount of information, setting up Rovira’s political maneuvering, Román’s careful planning and the idea that the abduction may be part of a long-term plot with deeper roots.
Family dynamics emerge as a central element when Rovira and his investigator consult Irene, the governor’s mother, played by Alejandra Flechner. The conversations imply that power within the Rovira family is more complicated than public appearances suggest and that Irene may exert significant influence over her son’s decisions. The review also indicates the kidnapping ties back to Zoe’s biological family, information that the series begins to reveal as the plot progresses.
Resua’s performance as Zoe draws particular mention; the review calls her "tough as nails" and suggests her character may be more resilient than her captor. Scenes described in the review include Zoe attempting to drive away while handcuffed to a steering wheel, a bathroom-stop theft of her sunglasses that Román intervenes to stop, and a sequence in which Román attempts to keep Zoe safe despite the coercive circumstances.
The review notes what it does not find in the series: explicit sexual content or nudity. It also criticizes the show’s limited explanation of the lithium bill and how that legislation specifically connects to the abduction, saying a clearer presentation of the bill’s provisions would help viewers understand the political stakes.
Decider compares Maledictions to earlier kidnappings-on-the-run dramas, noting echoes of 2000s shows that focused on high-profile abductions. The reviewer ultimately urges viewers to treat Maledictions as they would a compact thriller film, recommending streaming the series for its tense tone and action while acknowledging that some story details are glossed over by the compressed format.
Maledictions is available on Netflix. The series’ blend of political intrigue, family power struggles and a central abduction positions it within recent international thrillers that mix regional political issues with personal drama. Reviewers and viewers will likely judge whether the three-episode packaging serves the material or obscures elements that might have been clearer in a single, uninterrupted feature-length presentation.