Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

TeenzTen An action-packed slog

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

carbuff Why can't America make movies like this? This is another fine foreign mystery/thriller that, unlike American films, doesn't follow a simple formula and takes time to build the mood and develop characters.This is a much more effective method of building tension, rather than just going for the easy money shots constantly.Reviewers who can't follow the plot or who think there are a lot of unanswered questions, must not be very good at inference, since the entire movie ties up pretty much perfectly if you think about it, and I like movies that require a bit of thought. About the only criticism I have of this movie is a general one, and that is that this movie, like so many other very well-made films nowadays, is really immersed in the dark side of life. This is likely a reflection of our times, but every now and then, I would like to see a really well-made realistic but less morally ambiguous film, something tilted a bit more towards the light than the dark. Other than that, once you start watching this film, you just can't stop. It is really brilliant, compelling and original.

Harriet Deltubbo A highly recommended film that fills more than expectations. A film that grabs you from start to finish. It is one of the best noir cinema that has been made in Spain, the kind of film that proves that a small story can be much more meaningful than a larger one. Jose Coronado is superb, cold, wild and credible. The cinematography is stark and bare, with only the soundtrack adding some effect. From an artistic standpoint, there were some plot elements and character developments I didn't think were totally needed. They do however drive the story, which seemed to be their purpose, so I can accept them. Nothing to laugh at. Heartfelt and riveting from the first frame to the last.

marcopesqueira This film has won the most important awards given by the Spanish film industry, the Goyas, for best film, best director and best main actor(among others). I had great expectations when I got the DVD. However, once the opening scene is over, the film becomes a dull and confusing chase between the main character, the psychotic policeman Santos Trinidad, and his nemesis the instruction judge Chacón and the straight policeman Leiva. There are too many characters to be remembered and the inclusion of the 2004 Madrid bombings plot is too accurate to the point of resulting vaguely ridiculous. The worse part of the film for me was the absolute lack of understanding of why this man behaves as he does, other than been an alcoholic and a loner. This character has been widely praised here, but to me is a completely flat , unidimensional rendering of a supposedly complex human being. No redeeming features at all, miles away from the Javier Bardem character in No country for old men , for instance. The idea that all immigrants in Spain are basically whores, drug traffickers, radical Islamic militants or terrorists is deeply unsettling. I doubt that this film would have found financing in France, the UK or the US, as it is basically highlighting a reactionary message of incompetence of the democratic institutions ( the law and order represented by the instruction judge and the clean policeman) to act against rampant drug trafficking, Islamic terrorism, and police corruption. To avoid disaster, we are only left to luck. I have already mentioned how poor is the Jose Coronado acting, but he is excellent compared to other crew members. Juanjo Artero is a very popular TV actor in Spain, whose rendition on his character is awful even by his own standards (there is a TV series here named El Barco, the boat, where he is the main character, wonderful laughing stock). The former young heartthrob Pedro Mari Sanchez comes back as the fat, spectacled and corrupt superintendent from the anti-terrorist unit. Age has changed him , but his acting skills remain extremely limited. Same goes to the female instruction judge, a beautiful but rigid and stiffened young woman called Helena Miguel. Perhaps she might be luckier next time if she gets the chance. In summary, a overpraised police film based on a confusing plot, unbelievable characters and terrible acting. I would mention that the general atmosphere of suburban contemporary Spain is well drawn. But the deep message of this superficial film is certainly very unsavory.

abisio This movie is so good; that I will start with the bad things. The only reason I did not give this movie a 10/10 is because somewhere in the middle, the pace slows down and drags for about 10 minutes. I assume the director was aware but wanted this in order to set up a particular mood. In my opinion he could get there another ways, achieving the same effect.The story is different from what you usually expect. A very drunken cop in what apparently is a personal crisis, kills three people in a moment of rage; but a witness gets away. As the victims are from Colombia, the case is related to drugs and an ambitious judge tries to get to the bottom of the issue which soon is also linked to terrorism. In the meantime, our drunken cop is dealing with his internal demons while looking for the witness that can recognize him and avoiding the judge (and his companions) to relate him with the crime.Jose Coronado plays Trinidad. He is almost every scene in the movie. He is so good and his presence so strong that when he is not in the scene, is like something is missing. He is not a good person but we are never clear if he really is bad. We get glimpses of his past but never a clear account of what happened. It is to the viewers to figure it out and make the proper judgments.The rest of the cast is not bad but no character has a deeper development than Trinidad so they are all just secondary characters within his tale.This is not the American thriller. There is no redemption, not even a will on doing a good deed. This is a tale of survival within a society and a justice system which is just a big mess. The action is located in Spain but could apply to USA and in many other countries.