The Penguin review: A gritty story that gives Gotham’s audacious gangster a chance to make his way to the top

HBO's miniseries The Penguin features Colin Farrell's Oz, aka Penguin, who drives a purple Maserati, smokes cigars, shoots guns, and is on a mission to own Gotham City.

Superheroes stand for everything good and right in the world representing the need to find a way to right the wrongs, beating up the bad guys along the way. But we hardly appreciate their nemesis since we are busy finding reasons to hate them. The new HBO miniseries from Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, The Penguin is one show that allows us into the world of the bad through one of Gotham's many criminals. Taking us through the post-Riddler attack on the hoodlum city of Gotham, we enjoy a ride through Oswald Cobb’s perspective where we hardly miss the caped vigilante.

Every Batman stan is aware of every aspect of the city that makes it twisted and disturbing, which includes the multiple crimelords contributing to make it an eerie place to be. And from this world, you get a well-written extension to Matt Reeves’ 2022 Batman where The Penguin manages to stand out as a menacing gangster series that almost reminds you of the Sopranos. 

Colin Farrell’s Oz is a man who is after two things in life - respect and the power to own the city. While he had little to offer in the 2022 film, he was definitely a character who captivated the audience's interest. This show was able to give those curious souls something they would not be disappointed by. In the first episode, we get a glimpse of who Oz is, especially as the crime world is in turmoil after Falcone's death. He is a man with ambitions, ready to move up the ladder of power no matter the cost. We get to make sense of his transformation from being bullied to evolving into an aristocratic crime lord whose cunningness shines every time he appears onscreen.

Colin deserves most of the credit for making the character his own, especially considering that it had been portrayed by several actors in the past. His exceptional talent shines through even when his real emotions are hidden behind layers of prosthetics. His iteration is nothing like the ones we have seen previously. While Danny DeVito and Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin brought out the dramatics from the comics, Ferell's is a more toned-down, realistic at the same time menacing version that highlights his very humane quirks. You get to experience his life from a different look giving us a gangster we would like to know more about.

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Despite being entangled in a life of crime, we see glimpses of his humanity. Whether it's when he expresses concern for the city as he reflects on the chaos unleashed by the Riddler, or shows tenderness toward his mother and Victor, the stray he’s taken in, we get to know that there’s a side of him that cares deeply for others.

If there is someone who brings out the softer side of his personality, it’s Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz). When the middle-class teenager who belongs to the part of the city that suffered from floods, ends up with Oz as his driver, we get to witness a surprisingly interesting camaraderie. A teen who stutters and a mobster who limps, have something in common that makes them fit like two pieces of a puzzle. Vic feels like the past reflection of Oz himself that led to his rise in this world of crime. Both of them refusing to sit at the seat reserved for handicapped and trying to make it through the rules of the underworld shows just how alike they are. When Oz is with him, you see a silly side that makes you forget his cruelties and just enjoy a slushy with him! He is the sweet innocent boy who wants to protect Victor and make him ready for the world.

Another character who deserves all the praise, and who could be a threat to stealing Colin’s spotlight is Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Falcone. As someone who spent ten years in Arkham State Hospital under suspicion of being a serial killer, the daughter of the late Falcone patriarch Carmine can leave you petrified with her evil smile and fierce eyes. You know she's the unsaid boss of the city the moment she walks into the screen. It’s impossible to not get chills when she screams in agony or just stares at you!

I'm excited to see how the showrunners  handle the story with the two best talents at play. As the show decidedly embraces gore in a city that usually loves its dark alleys and smoky manholes, it would be interesting to see it through the eyes of a crook who manages to slide out of situations despite his failed plans.

The Penguin is now streaming on JioCinema Premium.