"Cell 211" has undoubtedly become a benchmark title in prison cinema and one of the best and most daring films of Spanish cinema in quite some time.
Monzón creates a stifling work, full of mastery at times. His address is intimate in situations of calm between the characters, bright in moments of tension or simply cold in times when violence and blood hurt and overflow ... all this with a documentary aesthetic and betting on closed spaces , which makes him a character in the plot.
The script is portentous, knowing well how to play to surprise the viewer and that it does not wait for the next turn or what will happen in a few minutes in that hostile and fearful environment in which that prison has become in the middle of the field . It is also appreciated that the resolution of conflicts is not thrown overboard through routine action scenes that in the hands of another would surely be the greatest asset of the film and that always bet on a contained tension and claustrophobic moments. It is worth noting a great psychological characterization of the characters, as well as the curious and surprising resource of using ETA prisoners as currency.
On the other hand, the Goya that Luis Tosar encasquetó almost automatically deserved, because the fantastic actor gives life to a meritorious creation of the charismatic and at the same time faithful and fair "in his own way" Malamadre, an icon already mythical within his filmography and to which the actor knows how to give credibility without falling into the typical fuss and histrionics to which other similar characters and actors have accustomed us. Resines surprises with an unusual character that we know more about as the footage progresses. Marta Etura performs an acceptable interpretation with a somewhat topical character and without too much interest, while a beginner Alberto Ammann is the one who is looser compared to his fantastic companions.
One of the best Spanish films of recent times, destined to succeed very deservedly and to surprise all those who expect something new and remarkable within a Spanish cinema little accustomed to their own triumphs. Something that this remarkable prison thriller has already achieved, and much honor. Movie.