Episode #58 "Cuba Libre"


Ferrariman

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  • 1 year later...
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This feels like a rushed episode, a lot of the acting is wooden and the storyline is fairly messy. Also the slow motion is tacky in the introductory sequence, Crockett acts like a moron throughout the episode and the timing of the ending is absolutely ridiculous. Having said that, I did enjoy the end sequence, some good music and some decent action. The music on the whole is good on this episode, great to hear Crockett’s theme once again and I liked the rural nature of the episode with some nice scenes in forests etc. The scene where Crockett is being chased through the forest is a good one, good music and nice action and nice scenery. A pretty standard episode then, that could’ve been much better with careful attention to the wooden acting and possibly making the storyline less complicated; it’s overly complicated and in a way I feel it tries to make the episode deep but completely fails.I did rate it 7 on .org but now I'm lowering it; 6/10

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My original review from 25 June 2007 at 7:20pmThis is another one of my favorites in Season 3. I can sit down and watch this any time. I just love it when Miami Vice does the political commentary of the times. Unfortunately, I'm only giving this a 7. I just absolutely love the opening with Bob Seeger's Miami along with the shots of the Miami skyline and other pictures to 'the invaders' coming to the drug dealer's house. I also like the shots of the party where Sonny and Rico are doing their thing and we come across someone Sonny has actually taught in the Academy. I love Crockett's reply to Rico's "You taught Rules?" Sonny: "Yeah you got to know the rules before you can break them otherwise it's no fun." Of course it all hits the fan in the bedroom when the masked men shoot the drug dealer and the Metro Dade cop. Things get serious after that. I noticed they played Jan Hammer's "Crockett�s Theme" and "Return of Crockett" and other variations of the two themes. Also I guess the tune is called Russian Nights, but I call it the Castillo theme, because it seems that measures of that theme is always played when Castillo makes a hard decision that's according to his code. They play it when he tells Slade that Vice is going to investigate and then again when decides even though he doesn't think Vasquez is guilty of murdering the cop, to let Sonny play it out with the money and the transmitter in the briefcase. I love Crockett's attitude. He's so cool when he's telling Vasquez about smoothing out his partner's karma, When someone tries to sneak up on him through the roof of the hatch and he sticks his gun in their face and tells them about lead poisoning. and again when Zamorra tells him Cooper's gonna die, he keeps his cool and acts like OK, well let's make it easy he knows my face, and then he goes up to the safe house and knocks on the door very loudly and shouts for Cooper to get up "There's a change in the plan, man. I love Tubbs in this also. He's determined to be there to back his partner even though he's not sure what's going on. I also like the way where Sonny tells Zamorra "don't you know that no self respecting drug dealer keeps his cash in the house?" He spots Rico's caddy and immediately leads Zamorra and his men to it. Sonny definitely thinks on his feet, he sees that Slade is there and he knows that Slade knows him for a cop, and has to get away. Of course when Vasquez tells him about his family being held captive by the brigade, Sonny becomes sympathetic. I found the contrast between the hot head Zamorra and the experienced Vasquez also interesting. Zamorra hadn't even been born in Cuba or been to Cuba yet he wanted to fight and didn't care how or what he did as long as it was a political statement to Castro. Vasquez on the other hand had been disillusioned after he was let down at the Bay of Pigs and all he cared about was his family. He thought they were more important than fighting, but he was still willing to do what he had to protect them, and hopefully get them out of trouble. I also found it interesting that he was trying to get this done by not killing people or at least only as a last resort and if it was necessary. He didn't approve of the killing of Flores, he didn't approve of the killing of the drug dealer, and he stopped Zamorra from killing the guard outside the drug dealer's house. The last part was a little too hard to believe. Castillo was able to get the color. Make and model of the limo, notify Swat, brief Swat, and get Crockett to drive the limo all before the real limo was there, after all the real limo had left the airport before Castillo could get the fake limo and Swat prepared. 'Gun law' was a perfect song to go with the ending. It also showed a nice contrast between the zealot Zamorra and his rag tag paramilitary group. As soon as they encountered overwhelming odds by the Swat team and police telling them to put their weapons down and give up, they did. Zamorra kept trying to kill the person in the limo. Unfortunate for him it was Crockett who was a dead shot with an experienced military background. The very ending where Vasquez''s wife is brought to where the injured Vasquez is bothers me, after he says his line. The music stops, and Sonny and Rico look like they're leaving a scene in a TV show or movie instead of looking like they're leaving the scene and just going to do something else. Sweitek had some funny lines in this episode about Roberta/Robert and the last line he spoke "Vice you're busted!" I didn't think Gina or Trudy were in it enough; That's why I only gave this a 7. 12/3/09After watching this two weeks ago, I still like this episode very well. I still like the opening scenes and the music. I like the story, I still think Gina and Trudy aren't in it enough, and the ending still bothers me, I still think getting Crockett's limo there before the real limo is a stretch (pardon the pun), but since I do love Crockett's theme, and alot of this episode, I'm going to raise my initial review rating to an 8.

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This episode started off really cool. C&T in tux's at a drug lord's party. They go to make the deal & almost get killed as the drug lord gets killed & so does another undercover cop trying to help C&T. Then the story gets political & more complicated. There are scenes in the jungle & no more cool vice scenes. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but to me it is not as memorable as my many other MV favorites. I didn't remember seeing "Cuba Libre" before, although I must have! Good action shootouts in the beginning & at the end. I did notice Castillo's theme music being played in the background while he talked & Crockett's theme when Sonny was in danger! I rate it a 6 . To Chum981 and to everyone.......... You should watch an episode if you haven't watched it in a couple years & then give a short review & rating! I don't have much time to watch them, so I'm using my comments & ratings from the other site, when I watched the episode the night before & took notes. Hopefully in Jan. 2010, I'll be able to watch one episode a week & maybe edit some of my ratings.

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I've always been a fan of this episode.I'm in agreement with nmathews.very watchable, good action sequences & the acting was nowehere near as wooden as some have suggested (it's MV for crying out loud!).Of course getting the decoy limo there first was a bit of an as if but Sonny's roll out of the limo was excellent!

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I brand this episode with a perfect 10! I really like the tone set for this story from start to finish. Somewhat of a different assignment for Sonny and Rico though, as they were unkowingly out to stop a band of rebel Cuban commandos from starting a potential war, and uncover a crooked federal agent in the process.

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  • 1 month later...

I thought that this was a superb episode, one of my favourites. A classic in my opinion. Some of Jan Hammer's best background music in this episode as well, and great direction by Virgil Vogel. I also love the jungle/guerrilla warfare theme of most of the episode. It made for an original and interesting setting.I loved the opening scene, beautiful twilight scene of Bayside marina, followed by an overview of downtown Miami, together with a great song. Then cut to the party scene. Great use of colour in this episode. You see Rahaus's house all lit up in pink, surrounded by the green of the grass, bushes, and trees. Slow motion affect across the party crowd was unusual and original. The beauty and laid back sense of the scene just encapsulate everything that's great about Miami. I love how everything changes when Zamora et all bust through the window and suddenly Jan Hammer's music takes on a dramatically dark and foreboding turn. I love the action sequences of the subsequent shootout, followed again by some great Jan Hammer music.I like how Castillo is willing to put his ass on the line to cover for Crockett and Tubbs. Now that's what you call a true leader!This episode contains the best "Crockett's theme" score of any Vice episode in my opinion.I liked the subtle look of relief on Crockett's face when he and Zamora break into Cooper's pad, and Crockett realises that Tubbs isn't there.I loved the scene where Crockett sees Slade waiting with Vasquez, forces the van to crash, and makes a run for it. The stunt where the Van crashes into the car, with the stuntman narrowly avoiding being crushed, while all the time being replayed in slow motion was a great shot. I loved the subsequent game of Jungle Cat and mouse in the forest, and the bit where Crockett and Tubbs rescue Vasquez's wife and son from the Command Centre building, particularly when Crockett whacks his gun across the bad guy`s face.Great final scene, "Gun law" is a great song, and the final showdown with Zamora was also great.Only unrealistic thing about the episode is why the local Vice squad would be the protagonists in thwarting such an important assassination attempt. Although the Feds would be the ones who would normally deal with such an operation, I accept that the Feds could not be contacted, as Slade was implicated in the operation. However even so, by this point the case would have been taken over by Homicide, or been dealt with by the DEA all along.I'll give the episode 9 out of 10.

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  • 1 year later...

Love the opening shot of the Miami skyline, simply gorgous.The party scenes were okay, except for Crockett's horrible outfit and that chick in the white dress that was a tab bit too eh manly about the shoulders and upper arms. :sick:Coming off of three outstanding episodes, this paled in comparison.Particularly with the guest stars, notably that unibrow guyZamora.What a friggin poser, eh OVER ACT Much? Major Goof: The shot of Castillo opening the squad car door for Vasquez's wife Yolanda is shown twice. As mentioned, Crockett's Theme sounded great in this one.5/10

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I agree with you MrsEvanFreed. This episode had a lot to live up to after the previous three. The music and scenery were great but I feel the ending was rushed. And... oh my... that fed can't act. I gave this a 6. I would have given it a 5 except that we got a trademark Castillo icy stare while he was talking with Zamora in his office. I thought he was going to burn a hole through me with that one. It gave me the chills.

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  • 1 year later...

An episode which is often underrated and is overlooked due to the last 3 masterpiece-episodes and the upcoming superb eps.In my opinion this is wrongfully because Cuba Libre features several highlights and even sets a cinematographic milestone: in this episode the world-famous Austrian Glock 17-pistole is used in media for the first time!!! When Sonny rushes through the wood, he knocks a guerilla out and takes his gun - a Glock 17.Thereon it's recognizable how modern and innovative VICE was and always ahead of the time.The teaser with Miami by Bob Seger, the nice skyline-shots and through and through styled Deering Estate is absolutely fantastic.:glossy::clap:The party inside is typical 80s and VICE-style. Fancy neon-illuminationand and beautiful fashion (Sonny's smart, innovative black suit combined with a classic white shirt) fill out the scenery.The subsequent scene where Rojas is murdered, is - typical of Season 3 - shown violently. This isn't bad, it's more realistic, I think.After the teaser, the plot changes from a story about a cop killing to a highly political story about Cuban guerillas. Although this change isn't necessary, it doesn't mind, I think. Abundant action and great music surrogates this circumstance.Furthermore I like Sonny's appearance at the guerilla camp and in the woods. He wears designer clothes!!! Principally this is totally counterproductive, but on the other hand it's typical VICE!!!:happy:Ultimately the final scenes with Gun Law by The Kane Gang come. These are a highlight.:radio::radio:Bombastic action combined with this awesome song - everybody knows: THIS IS VICE!!:glossy:Concerning fashion, another point is to mention: Cuba Libre is the first episode in the 3rd Season where Sonny wears a white jacket. In the following eps, Sonny wears more and more bright colors again.10 of 10 points due to nice fashion and design, perfect music and elaborate action.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The opening scene with the song "Miami" by Bob Seger was awesome ! The skyline has changed so much since I first saw this episode. Great to see the Deering Estate in this episode, its one of my favorite local landmarks. As for the story, its seemed rushed. I gave it a 6/10.

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  • 8 months later...
This is another one of my favorites in Season 3. I can sit down and watch this any time. I just love it when Miami Vice does the political commentary of the times. Unfortunately' date=' I'm only giving this a 7. I just absolutely love the opening with Bob Seeger's Miami along with the shots of the Miami skyline and other pictures to 'the invaders' coming to the drug dealer's house. I also like the shots of the party where Sonny and Rico are doing their thing and we come across someone Sonny has actually taught in the Academy. I love Crockett's reply to Rico's "You taught Rules?" Sonny: "Yeah you got to know the rules before you can break them otherwise it's no fun." Of course it all hits the fan in the bedroom when the masked men shoot the drug dealer and the Metro Dade cop. Things get serious after that. I noticed they played Jan Hammer's "Crockett�s Theme" and "Return of Crockett" and other variations of the two themes. Also I guess the tune is called Russian Nights, but I call it the Castillo theme, because it seems that measures of that theme is always played when Castillo makes a hard decision that's according to his code. They play it when he tells Slade that Vice is going to investigate and then again when decides even though he doesn't think Vasquez is guilty of murdering the cop, to let Sonny play it out with the money and the transmitter in the briefcase. I love Crockett's attitude. He's so cool when he's telling Vasquez about smoothing out his partner's karma, When someone tries to sneak up on him through the roof of the hatch and he sticks his gun in their face and tells them about lead poisoning. and again when Zamorra tells him Cooper's gonna die, he keeps his cool and acts like OK, well let's make it easy he knows my face, and then he goes up to the safe house and knocks on the door very loudly and shouts for Cooper to get up "There's a change in the plan, man. I love Tubbs in this also. He's determined to be there to back his partner even though he's not sure what's going on. I also like the way where Sonny tells Zamorra "don't you know that no self respecting drug dealer keeps his cash in the house?" He spots Rico's caddy and immediately leads Zamorra and his men to it. Sonny definitely thinks on his feet, he sees that Slade is there and he knows that Slade knows him for a cop, and has to get away. Of course when Vasquez tells him about his family being held captive by the brigade, Sonny becomes sympathetic. I found the contrast between the hot head Zamorra and the experienced Vasquez also interesting. Zamorra hadn't even been born in Cuba or been to Cuba yet he wanted to fight and didn't care how or what he did as long as it was a political statement to Castro. Vasquez on the other hand had been disillusioned after he was let down at the Bay of Pigs and all he cared about was his family. He thought they were more important than fighting, but he was still willing to do what he had to protect them, and hopefully get them out of trouble. I also found it interesting that he was trying to get this done by not killing people or at least only as a last resort and if it was necessary. He didn't approve of the killing of Flores, he didn't approve of the killing of the drug dealer, and he stopped Zamorra from killing the guard outside the drug dealer's house. The last part was a little too hard to believe. Castillo was able to get the color. Make and model of the limo, notify Swat, brief Swat, and get Crockett to drive the limo all before the real limo was there, after all the real limo had left the airport before Castillo could get the fake limo and Swat prepared. 'Gun law' was a perfect song to go with the ending. It also showed a nice contrast between the zealot Zamorra and his rag tag paramilitary group. As soon as they encountered overwhelming odds by the Swat team and police telling them to put their weapons down and give up, they did. Zamorra kept trying to kill the person in the limo. Unfortunate for him it was Crockett who was a dead shot with an experienced military background. The very ending where Vasquez''s wife is brought to where the injured Vasquez is bothers me, after he says his line. The music stops, and Sonny and Rico look like they're leaving a scene in a TV show or movie instead of looking like they're leaving the scene and just going to do something else. Sweitek had some funny lines in this episode about Roberta/Robert and the last line he spoke "Vice you're busted!" I didn't think Gina or Trudy were in it enough; That's why I only gave this a 7. 12/3/09After watching this two weeks ago, I still like this episode very well. I still like the opening scenes and the music. I like the story, I still think Gina and Trudy aren't in it enough, and the ending still bothers me, I still think getting Crockett's limo there before the real limo is a stretch (pardon the pun), but since I do love Crockett's theme, and alot of this episode, I'm going to raise my initial review rating to an 8.
Nancy...I really like some of your reviews, and this is another one I had to quote...because I really could not say it much better! :thumbsup:I realize many here don't seem to care for this episode...but if we really want to be honest there were a lot more aspects that made "MV" work, so-to-speak, than the strength of plotlines. ;) The colors, fashion, cars, music, and action scenes were very important facets of the show...and this episode had awesome examples of all those! :clap:I LOVE the pink mansion and colors used at the beginning...and Bob Seeger's Miami was a superb song that fit perfectly! :radio: The action and gun-play was pretty awesome too... outstanding scenes!! :glossy:I also love the humor with Switek...and the scene with him and Crockett about the whole Robert/Roberta thing catches my attention every time. When I was little my parents told me that a couple years after they got married, around 1972 or 73, they were home visiting my grandma (dad's mom). They were watching TV and this supposed documentary came on about a guy who had decided to have a sex change operation...and couldn't figure out why his family was so upset. He used to be Robert, but was now Roberta after the..."operation". :p You have to understand that at that time that kind of thing was very "taboo" and was just not heard of. So, the idea of this guy doing a documentary about it was absurd...but even hilarious, and they at first thought it was a joke. My mom said she laughed so hard she almost threw up. :) So, it just seems ironic that they use the same names in this "MV" scene. I bet they used that old story for the episode. ;)I also like the undercover roles Crockett and Tubbs really delve into in this..."deep" and captivating. Both were thinking on their feet but also one step ahead of the bad guys, and it shows! :thumbsup: Love how Switek "bags" the dirty cop/agent at the end...his line was hilarious! :) "Switie" had a superb way of being goofy...but yet serious. ;)I also love Jan Hammer's Crockett's Theme continually being played throughout...that tune absolutely captivates me every time I hear it!! :glossy: The action at the end was awesome too! However, I do realize that the actual plotline itself is somewhat "weak", or not that memorable. I also agree with Nancy, that Gina and Trudy were not in this one enough! But, the other aspects that I mentioned (and Nancy did in her original review), in my opinion, make up for that.Overall I really like watching this one everytime....and I gave it an 8!
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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

This episode features a number of great shots from Miami at night, as well as great music with Crockett's theme and Castillo's theme among the finest tracks. In terms of style, this episode fares pretty well. The fashion highlight for me must be Sonny wearing a white blazer once again. This episode does have its weaknesses, however, the most obvious one definitely being the story, and how unconvincing and flat it feels. It's a very good episode that could have been a great episode. I rate it 7/10.

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  • 1 month later...

I really liked this episode this time around, perhaps more so than in previous viewings. Nice opening and great action sequences here, including Sonny's forest escape scene. I had to notice that for once, finally his outfit was not the opposite of camouflage, as the grey and green blended unlike many other situations where the bright colors stood out in woodland settings. Castillo gives an  command here to use the confiscated cash, something that I found to be a bit unexpected.

Magnificent use of Crockett's theme throughout. Many suspenseful moments, including the group crashing the house to get the money from "Cooper".

One of the only gripes I have about this one, (and I know it is probably due to time constraints) is the shootout at the end. The military rebel team gives up, surrenders very quickly to the SWAT team. One would think a group of paramilitary warriors that have trained hard and are willing to die for a cause would not simply drop their weapons and place hands in the air in such a rapid fashion. I noticed that at times DJ seems again, as in the last two episodes, a little more animated, excited, wired in his acting performance. I don't know if he was drinking too much coffee back then or otherwise, heheh. But it works well.

Overall, I'll give the writers some credit for being inventive on the plot idea, and every other aspect of the show some props for good execution. This isn't at the top of the charts in the series, but it is a nice watchable and entertaining episode. A strong 7/10

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  • 1 year later...

This episode starts out great. Dig the Bushido mansion as well as the Bob Seger song. Ya gotta know the rules before ya can break em.

The acting by the villains was weak.

Points for the extra use of Crockett Theme. Love that track.

The scene with Switek about Roberta was pretty funny.

I really like the scene of Crockett being chased through the forest.

The action overall is pretty good.

Overall, its very watchable but forgettable.

6/10

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  • 9 months later...

Just watched this one again last night and it was kind of cool because it's sort of a forgotten episode for me, so it seems fresh when I watched it compared to the great episodes that I can basically quote line for line with each scene. 

As others have noted, good music, great opening, enjoyed Crockett's theme and some of the action is decent although I don't buy that a group of hardened guerrilla fighters are going to surrender to a SWAT team that they clearly outnumbered. I also felt Crockett (as Burnett) didn't do a great job--whenever Sonny is smiling and laughing a lot as Burnett it comes across as fake to me, as if Don Johnson isn't giving it his best so he covers up with the chuckles and goofy smiles. I did, however, get the real feeling that these guerrilla fighters were hardcore killers and that Sonny could be offed at any second (which makes their surrender to SWAT even less believable).

Still, while I didn't think the episode was outright bad, it's just not memorable; there's no real hook that stands out to me unlike most of the third season episodes (weather it's the Daytona biting the dust or Tubbs smashing the display case or the 15 year old drug dealer in a limo). 

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In this episode (and “Child’s Play”), Jan Hammer showcases Crockett’s Theme and Crockett’s Return so beautifully. Crockett’s Return particularly sounds better on these episodes than on the Complete Collection, IMO—a cover is definitely on my list. :thumbsup:

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  • 2 years later...

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