El narcotráfico en el cine mexicano: arquetipos desde 2010 a 2017

<jats:p>This article studies the archetypes and the iconography in contemporary Mexican films that deal with drug trafficking in order to examine the evolution of the <jats:italic>narco cinema</jats:italic> subgenre and changes in the representation of the <jats:italic>narcocultura</jats:italic>. The corpus is constituted by the biggest box office hits each year between 2010 and 2017, which are analysed thematically. This study suggests that the characteristics of the <jats:italic>narcocultura</jats:italic> continue circulating within Mexican cinema, but it does not point to a subgenre’s existence. The genres circumscribing the films analysed promote the <jats:italic>narcos</jats:italic>’ heroism via archetypes and iconography, which symbolize how <jats:italic>narcos</jats:italic> overcome their <jats:italic>modus vivendi</jats:italic> to stand as a legitimate authority against a corrupt government. Alongside this representation of <jats:italic>narcos</jats:italic>, these films also present objectified women and promote values such as loyalty and family. The aforementioned archetypes and iconography offer a view of life in which violence is normalized, and crime is seen as a legitimate lifestyle.</jats:p>