There cannot be a more intriguing premise in movies this year. “Cell 211″ is a clever Spanish film that places a newly hired prison guard in a very precarious situation. What results is a thoughtful and mesmerizing game of cat and mouse that will have you glued to the screen.
Juan is the guard — a young man who is eager to impress his new employers. He arrives a day early to get a tour of the prison. However, all hell breaks loose while he is being escorted around — the inmates begin rioting. A freak accident knocks him out and he is placed inside one of the empty cells until medical help can arrive. Juan’s escorts leave to save their own skins and he is abandoned to fend for himself.
As he wakes, the clock starts ticking. He knows that he will suffer consequences unless he can pose as a new inmate. Off comes the belt, the watch, the shoelaces. He does the best he can to fit in to this motley crowd. Nevertheless, the apparently leader of the prison gangs, named Malamadre, is suspicious of the new face and decides to put Juan through his paces. The tension never wanes as we follow Juan’s maze of lies.
“Cell 211″ superbly keeps us off balance, never taking the turns we expect. I was really surprised to see the depth of the narrative. It is not just a simple action flick. Rather, viewers are asked to contemplate some serious moral questions. It all makes for a truly worthwhile DVD rental.
