Chilean-Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar ushered in a new era of Spanish-language thrillers with his chilling mystery thrillers “Thesis” (1996) and “Open Your Eyes” (1997). Mr. Amenabar, who fled Chile as a boy with his family, was only twenty-three years old when he made his debut feature, “Thesis.” In the 2000s, some of the riveting thrillers were made in both native Spain and in Spanish-language-speaking Central and South American countries (“Nine Queens,” “Common Wealth,” “Orphanage,” and “The Secret in their Eyes,” to name a few). But it was Barcelonian screenwriter and director Oriol Paulo who kickstarted the rise of homegrown thrillers, starting with a script he co-wrote with Guillem Morales for “Julia’s Eyes” (2010).
In 2012, Paulo made his directorial debut with the incredible thriller, “The Body,” which was followed by the sprawling mystery thriller, “The Invisible Guest” (2016). The boom of thrillers in Spain facilitated a string of Netflix Original Spanish thrillers with films covering everything from psychological thrillers (“The Occupant”), dystopian thrillers (“The Platform”) to procedural (“God’s Crooked Lines”), and revenge thrillers, (“Eye for an Eye”). As is often the case with the Netflix catalog, there are hidden gems and overrated duds. The following list aims to identify some of the worthy Spanish Netflix Original thrillers that can be added to your watchlist.
10. Gun City (2018)
Dani de la Torre’s slickly made period thriller is set in 1921 Barcelona, as the unrest between the law enforcement and the anarchists threatens to become a widespread civil war. The crucial event that has caused the turmoil is the robbery of military weapon shipments. While the Spanish authorities firmly believe anarchists are behind the weapons theft, Federal Police Inspector Anibal Uriarte (Luis Tosar) zeroes in on some key players who stand to benefit from the conflict that escalates into civil unrest.
Written by Patxi Amezcua, Anibal is an enigmatic character who is relatively more humane than the rest of the authorities. The earlier segment brilliantly introduces some of the central characters, including the workers’ leader, Salvador Ortiz (Paco Tous), and a seedy nightclub owner, Baron (Manolo Solo). Some of the breathtaking staging (for instance, the wondrous crane shot in the nightclub) and thrilling action sequences (a car chase and the final shoot-out scene) make up for the lackluster writing in the second half. Though some of the answers to the mysteries are predictable, de la Torre keeps consistently throwing one mystery after another. If the script felt less like a pastiche, “Gun City” would have been an even more impressive period action-thriller.
9. The Occupant (2020)
Co-written and co-directed by the filmmaking siblings David and Alex Pastor, “The Occupant” begins as a domestic drama with a middle-aged former ad executive struggling to find a job in a field that prefers to employ youngsters. Javier Gutierrez plays his namesake character, Javier, who finds it hard to put up with this alleged humiliation in the personal and professional space. Javier lives with his supportive and hardworking wife, Marga, and his distant teenage son, Dani. However, the unemployment makes Javier feel like he has lost power and relevance within the family unit. Adding to his woes is the move from the posh urban apartment to a simple home in a crowded neighborhood.
Javier’s sociopathy rises to the surface as he loses his social status and materialistic life. His newfound obsession is Tomas (Mario Casas), a young corporate executive living with his family in Javier’s old apartment. Subsequently, Javier does some vicious things to find the shortcut to ‘success.’ “The Occupant” forgoes organic character development for the sake of its obvious social commentary on greed and entitlement. Gutierrez offers a suitably creepy performance as the central character, although the script doesn’t serve the character well. Some of the psychological thrills are effective, but some, especially in the final act, strain credulity even for such an unusual setup. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining thriller with a memorable performance from Gutierrez.
8. The Chalk Line (2022)
Ignacio Tatay’s directorial debut, “The Chalk Line” (“Jaula”), opens with a horror premise that reminds us of several ‘spooky kid’ films, such as “Orphan” and “The Hole in the Ground.” Tatay and Isabel Pena’s script follows a childless couple, Paula (Elena Anaya) and Simon (Pablo Molinero), coming across a frightened little girl (Eva Tennear) on the highway at night. The traumatized kid who responds to the name Clara is malnourished and won’t talk. Paula and Simon take up the temporary role of the girl’s guardian. Within the comforts of their home, Clara gradually opens up and cryptically expresses where she comes from. Wildly unanticipated events happen in the couple’s household, making us wonder whether the child is evil.
“The Chalk Line” mainly works due to the fantastic performances of Eva and Elena Anaya. Tatay and Pena take the wildest swing in the third act, entrenching the narrative in psychological thriller territory. The tonal change or the plot twist might not work for all, and the overall answer to the mystery feels less ominous and a bit conventional. Yet, Tatay maintains a spooky atmosphere and suspense right from the beginning. Overall, this is an engaging, slow-burn thriller, evoking mixed feelings about the final act.
7. Below Zero (2021)
Lluis Quilez’s “Below Zero” is an action thriller that reminds us of the no-holds-barred Hollywood spectacle “Con Air” (1997). The plane is swapped with a prison transport bus, and the Spanish film largely unfolds over a night with a freezing climate. Javier Gutierrez plays the veteran cop, Martin, who gets assigned to prison transfer duty for the first time. Matin drives the armored bus and is partnered with a hotheaded cop, Montesinos. The prisoners are a rag-tag bunch of criminals, ranging from murderers to white-collar criminals. However, the most feared among the prisoners is the Romanian, Rei, the boss of an international gang.
Hence, when the armored vehicle is ambushed and attacked, the prisoners and cops believe it to be the work of the organized criminal gang. However, the antagonist, Miguel (Karra Elejalde), is on an entirely different mission and goes to extreme lengths to kidnap one single prisoner. Like many action thrillers, “Below Zero” demands suspension of disbelief to enjoy the pulpy and dark segments. Gutierrez spearheads the film brilliantly, and thanks to him, despite the lack of character depth, Martin becomes a character we care about. “Below Zero” has a near-perfect cathartic ending that allows us to look past some of the bumps on the journey.
6. Nowhere (2023)
There’s always something fascinating about survival thrillers, as they emphasize the endurance of the human spirit. We see ordinary humans scaling the insurmountable odds with hope and perseverance to emerge on the other side. Albert Pinto’s “Nowhere” is a fairly engaging survival thriller that eventually turns into a powerful tale of motherhood. The narrative revolves around pregnant Mia (Anna Castillo), who flees with her husband, Nico, from her country’s ruthless militaristic regime. They hope to make their way to Ireland onboard a shipping container with other asylum-seeking refugees.
Nevertheless, a string of devastating events leaves Mia alone in the leaking cargo container in the middle of the ocean. During this punishing journey, she also gives birth to Noa. “Nowhere” hinges on too many coincidences and feels slightly humdrum if you have seen enough survival thrillers. Yet the film mainly engages us due to Anna Castillo’s fiercely committed physical performance. The actor perfectly captures Mia’s desperation and determination to live and find safer shores for the sake of Noa. Despite an intense set-up, the film drags a bit in the latter half. Nevertheless, we care for Anna’s Mia enough to see to that she reaches her destination.
Read More Related to Netflix Spanish Thrillers: 8 Movies to Watch if you like “Nowhere” on Netflix
5. Eye for an Eye (2019)
Paco Plaza is known for the acclaimed Spanish horror films “REC” (2007) and “Veronica” (2017). With “Eye for an Eye,” Mr. Plaza ventures into a gritty revenge thriller, where the payback turns ugly and leads to dire consequences. Luis Tosar has become the face of Spanish crime thriller movies ever since the international acclaim of “Cell 211” (2009) and “Sleep Tight” (2011). Though Tosar has established himself with low-key performances in dramas like “Mondays in the Sun” and “Take My Eyes,” his tightrope act of playing charismatic hard guys has now defined his acting career. Interestingly, in “Eye for an Eye,” Tosar plays an ordinary nurse, Mario, living with his pregnant wife, Julia.
But circumstances push Mario into a world of violence and criminality. Antonio (Xan Cejudo), an old drug kingpin, checks into the nursing home where Mario works. Mario, who wants to avenge the death of his younger brother, finds it to be the perfect opportunity to torment and kill the already weak mobster. However, in his pursuit, Mario forgets that revenge is a double-edged sword, which can ruin the life he has built with Julia. Luis Tosar somewhat plays against his regular menacing leading man type, and his intense moments with bed-ridden Cejudo are the narrative’s highlight moments. Once we get past the slow and expository first act, “Eye for an Eye” offers a thrilling experience, and the ending, in particular, is devastatingly unpredictable.
4. Your Son (2018)
Miguel Angel Vivas’ “Your Son” (“Tu hijo”) is a stylistically unique and restrained revenge thriller. It strictly unfolds from the perspective of a renowned surgeon father, Jaime (Jose Coronado). The film opens with Jaime saving a boy’s life, and soon we witness Jaime’s emotionally charged relationship with his young son, Marcos (Pol Monen). Marcos encourages his reticent, chain-smoking father to run. But his world comes crashing down before Jaime takes up his son’s fitness advice. Marcos is brutally beaten in a nightclub, and the law enforcement’s nonchalant attitude towards catching the culprits gradually pushes Jaime to go after his son’s attackers.
“Your Son” borders on arthouse aesthetics, with plenty of long, static shots that gracefully and precisely bring out the conflicting emotions in the scenes. The long shots also help us immerse ourselves in Jaime’s rage and grief-ridden world. The quietly haunting performance of Jose Coronado plays a significant role in keeping us engaged in the vulnerable father’s mission. “Your Son” feels like a realistic revenge tale, where killing isn’t easy, and things rarely go according to plan. However, writers Vivas and Alberto Marini go beyond that to portray the toxicity among men through some shocking twists. By the end, as we witness Jaime’s darkest deed, we feel as hollowed out as the central character.
3. God’s Crooked Lines (2022)
Oriol Paulo’s unique and unpredictable thriller streak continues with the mental asylum-set mystery “God’s Crooked Lines.” At the outset, the film can be described as “Shock Corridor” meets “Shutter Island.” It is based on a 1979 novel by Torcuate Luca de Tena. Prolific Spanish actor Barbara Lennie, who previously worked with Paulo in “The Invisible Guest,” plays the central role of Alice Gould. Alice, a private investigator, masquerades as a patient who is institutionalized for attempting to kill her husband by poisoning. Her mission is to inquire about the death of a young institutionalized man who is said to have killed himself.
The victim’s father, Dr. Damian Garcia del Olmo, believes the hospital administration is behind the cover-up. Alice feigns a condition of paranoia and is labeled as a chronic liar – aspects that come back to haunt her as Alice stumbles upon some dark secrets. The script, written by a trio of writers, including Paulo, takes time to build the chilling atmosphere and the character motivations. By the third act of this 155-minute film, the labyrinthine plot reveals some fascinating twists, though it looks a bit sensationalized and melodramatic. Lennie is, as usual, extraordinary as the distressed Alice, and Fernandez provides a solid performance as her nemesis, Dr. Samuel Alvar. “God’s Crooked Lines” will reward the patient viewers, even though the ending might leave them scratching their heads.
2. Mirage (2018)
Time travel fantasy comes in various forms. Oriol Paulo’s “Mirage”—like the American feature film “Frequency” and the K-drama “Signal”—facilitates a connection between individuals across time through a device. The narrative opens on November 9th, 1989, the day when the Berlin Wall fell, when a freak 72-hour electrical storm closes in. A 12-year-old boy named Nico becomes the victim of an accident after witnessing a horrific crime. Twenty-five years (2014) later, on the same day, in the house where Nico once lived, the new resident Vera (Adriana Ugarte) finds a way to communicate with 12-year-old Nico and averts the disaster awaiting him.
But this pushes Vera to wake up in a parallel timeline with her old memories intact, although she has lost everything from her old life, including her beloved little daughter, Gloria. Then Vera races against time to return to her old life. “Mirage” has an engaging mystery premise with a few predictable and surprising twists. What the film lacks in originality, it makes up with emotional sincerity and decent performances. The film also leaves you with thoughtful questions as Vera tries to get the best out of the two versions of life. “Mirage” was remade in Hindi as “Dobaaraa” (2022) by Anurag Kashyap.
1. The Platform (2019)
Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s directorial debut, “The Platform,” is a terrifying dystopian thriller based on a script co-written by David Desola and Pedro Rivero. Set in a vertical prison with hundreds of floors with two prisoners on each level, “The Platform” follows the grim journey of Goreng (Ivan Massague), an idealist who volunteers to spend six months in the hellish facility in exchange for an accredited diploma. Goreng’s cellmate is the crafty Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor), an older man who does what it takes to survive the prison. The prisoners’ only source of sustenance is a moving platform with various culinary dishes descending through a ‘hole’ at the center of each floor. Like the distribution of wealth among nations, the platform with the dishes never reaches the bottom floors with any food left.
Vertical prison management also raises the stakes by assigning a random floor (higher or lower) to each set of prisoners monthly. “The Platform is a well-thought-out and constructed allegory of capitalism and the class struggle. Though there’s nothing subtle in its approach, each thrilling and deadly situation depicts the depth of cynicism and fear prevalent in our society. The hard-hitting action and creative staging immerse us in the chilling mystique of its unique scenarios while gradually nudging us to interpret the sociopolitical layers.
