CELL 211 (Daniel Monzón). 113 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday, October 28. See listings. Rating: NNN
Cell 211 is a hard-edged, fast-paced prison drama that gives its unusual premise a midpoint plot twist that changes the stakes completely.
The day before he’s to start work as a prison guard, Juan visits the facility and gets caught in a riot. His only hope of surviving is to pose as a prisoner. The biggest threat is convict leader Malamadre, who likes the newcomer’s ideas but needs to keep him in his place to maintain his own status among the rival gangs and negotiate with treacherous officials.
Alberto Ammann makes Juan ner-vous but not timid, while Luis Tosar avoids the dominating psychopath cliché to present Malamadre as a natural leader with nothing to lose. Their shifting and always edgy relationship forms the movie’s core and keeps tension high.
Convincingly hard faces, restless camera work and director Daniel Monzón’s approach to crowd scenes make the danger believable. The violence is seldom graphic but always unnerving.
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