User reviews

The trailer promised oh so much but the film failed to deliver. The gothic surround centering on the lover themed murders was impressive along with the scenery but the characters and acting fell flat. You knew who the killer was from a early stage, it was a case of seeing how the main characters wove into his sick plans. The murders were very predictable with no change in his method of execution. There has been some excellent Spanish Crime Films over the last decade sadly this didn't fit into that category. Netflix best work has been international Film &TV this let the side down a bit.

Wasted running & chasing leading to pointless results. Producing not 1 clue or evidence until the last 30 minutes doesn't make this a thriller!

This is the adaptation of the first book of a trilogy. I think that people who have not read the books will have some trouble to follow the film. It is a very weak and dissapointing adapation which leaves outside some of the best things of the books: for example, the grandfather, one of the greatest carachters, only appears in one or two very brief scenes. The relation between Unai and Alba does not translate well to the screen. The rich traditional background you have in the book comes very superficial here, and so happens with the investigation itself. Also, having the "big mistery" revealed 20 minutes into the film does not help.

Generally all (acting, music, script...) is quite forgettable and superficial and lacks the magic the books have. In my opinion, it could (and should) have been made into a TV series, not into a movie.

35 minutes into the film the audience is told who the serial killer is. And I mean us, the viewers, not through the main character or the investigation, only us, we're told for no reason, no purpose, and no benefit. Unbelievable.

After that, the film doesn't get any better. The characters are poorly developed, a lot of things are left open and/or unexplained and it is obvious the whole time that you're viewing a (bad) book adaptation.

I've noticed that the terrible reviews seem to come from people watching the dubbed version of films on Netflix. The lazy or stupid who cannot read subtitles have no clue as to the true storytelling and acting presented to them.

This is no Silence Of The Lambs, but well worth of watching if one can actually read subtitles while viewing.

Well, I already knew the story, because I read the book recently. Sure, the expectations were high.

I tried to ignore the bad reviews, and watched the movie anyway. Well, they are right. The thing is, I don't understand why they didn't do a TV series, like they did with the book of Joël Dicker, " The Harry Quebert's Affair".

If you didn't read the book, you will find the movie just a mediocre thriller. But for someone like me who read the book, he or she will be really disappointed. The identity of the killer is revealed too soon in the movie, and I couldn't find any interest for that decision.

And if we analyze the acting, it is really poor. The choice of the two main characters is bad. Sure, you can make some changes when you adapt a book to the screen, but there are some important things, some characteristics, that were not respected! It seems to me that they wanted to use the success of the book to make a movie, but the result is not good!!!

If I were the writer of the book, I think I would be mad but mostly disappointed.

This Spanish thriller is centred on the hunt for a serial killer; each time he strikes he kills two people; one male one female. Each pair of victims is from a wealthy family and five years older than the previous pair. His crimes mirror those that happened twenty years previously; the man accused of those crimes is in prison but is due to be released soon. Policeman Unai López de Ayala, a skilled profiler, is put in charge of the case; his first since returning to work after the death of his wife. He works alongside younger female officer Estíbaliz Ruiz de Gauna.

I enjoyed this film although in the already crowded serial killer genre it doesn't feel enormously original. There are some nice ideas such as there being pairs of victims each time and a disturbing yet novel method of murder. We are told the identity of the killer, and their connection to somebody close to our protagonist fairly early on so there isn't really a mystery about who is doing it; just a question of why, and how they will ultimately be stopped. I liked our two investigators; Javier Rey and Aura Garrido impress in these roles. The rest of the cast are pretty solid too. Everything looks good with impressive locations; both indoors and outside. Overall a decent enough addition to the genre; not a must see but still worth a watch... just don't expect it to be up there with 'The Silence of the Lambs'.

These comments are based on watching the film in Spanish with English subtitles.

The cinematography and soundtrack are pretty good, and are for a different movie than the one the script and director had in mind. Neither match the story.

And what a story. Total mess, makes no sense. The character relationships are underdeveloped and spring from nothing. Two people are suddenly in love because....because what? They spent 2 mins and spoke like 5 sentences to each other. The plot is a convoluted disaster. Antagonist haphazardly introduced way too early.

Something totally hilarious, is our main protagonist is constantly jogging for exercise throughout the story and every other scene his is chasing someone on foot and can never catch them. This guy should be an Olympic long distance runner by now.

Hot mess.

Not sure why the rating so low on here . This is an entertaining film no stop from the start till finish action. Not sue why the comments about the guns on here in film goof below - if you look close Unai has a completely different gun to the type issued as a police officer and Estibaliz picks up the extra gun when the go to rescue. Alba.

A aerial killer uses a pretty macabre method to kill his victims, his victims specifically choses because of their age. On the case is a Detective known as The Kraken.

Very enjoyable from the off, I watched it with English voice over, if I'm honest it took me about ten minutes to realise it was an original Spanish language film, such was the good job in the dubbing.

I was reminded of a plot from a thriller or TV series from some years back, possibly Messiah, where the same insects are used in a similar way, that said they make for a very grim method of murder.

There is enough drama, enough tension, and enough excitement to make this a very good watch.

Javier Rey, who I recently watched in Unknown origins, is very good here once again, very chiselled features, I've only seen him in two films, but I'm a fan, he's great.

Liked it very much, 8/10.

Sidious82 said it right: why!?

Detectives Unai and Estíbaliz are investigating the murders of teenagers whose modus operantis are the same as a serial killer already in prison. Is it perprtrated by a copycat? Is the a man in prison by crimes he didn't comit? Is the man in prison still able to influence people enough so they kill for him?

Seems like a nice plot to make us keep going through 110 minutes of the movie, right!? Problem is: those questions are answered in the first half of the movie! Yep...

Most people would hate it, but I'm fine with that, even though it really breaks the whole "investigation" aspect of the movie. The only final question is: what's the reason? And, at least that they left open until the end.

Overall, good investigation movie, despite that major flaw. Acting if ok; character development is kinda good - something are left open, but alright, I mean, we already know what is going on with this movie by this point.

While the main plot is fairly easy to follow, there are too many tangents and unresolved questions. The storyline jumps around and introduces side plots that are left unexplained and only muddy the central story. The acting was good and the English dubbing worked well enough. But just too darn confusing.

Suspenseful and nail-biting thriller set in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (north to Spain) with interesting screenplay plenty of intrigue , twists and turns . It deals with a stubborn cop and an ominous serial killer , both of whom return to their different and peculiar jobs . Unai López de Ayala (Javier Rey) is a member of the Ertzaina (Basque Country's police) , an especialist in criminal profiles who goes back to the service after an administrative discharge due to a former tragedy . The worried young cop attempts to uncover weird and mysterious murders that are shocking the city of Vitoria .His arrival to the local precinct matches with the apparition of a pair of corpses whose criminal firm is the same of Tasio Ortiz de Zarate (Alex Brendemühl) , a previous TV presenter of a mystery show named "Telúrico" who was imprisoned by a series of identical killings happened 20 years ago that always claimed his complete innocence . As Unai is working with his colleague Estíbaliz Ruiz de Gauna (Aura Garrido) , a young and attractiive police woman and both of them become personally involved into the grisly happenings . Unai meets the newcomer chief commissioner Alba Díaz de Salvatierra (Belen Rueda) , who supports him as a confident and lover when they both do night running by the city , feeling attracted each other and despite Alba is a married woman with reporter Mario Santos (Manolo Solo) . Meanwhile , Unai shares his life between the workalcoholic job and his family life with his aging grandfather (Ramón Barea) , his younger brother Germán (Sergio Dorado) and Germán's fianceé Martina (Allende Blanco) . Along the way , the complex investigation leads Unai and Estíbaliz to interview Tasio in prison as well as his twin brother and entrepreneur Ignacio (Alex Brendemul) seeking for new tracks while new victims show up here and there in the most sightseeing locations of Vitoria . And as a personal challenge for Una i, after each murder the heinous killer writes him anonymously on line, in an Internet's web. Attempting to catch him, Unai and Estíbaliz investigate the past of the murdered people and they begin a dangerous race against time to save future victims and to avoid that crimes to be repeated , seeking a way to prevent it . The couple of cops tries to find out a solution around threatening and bizarre incidents , but things go wrong.

Taut and slick thriller in 11o minutes titled El silencio de la ciudad blanca (2019) or The Silence of the White City (World-wide, English title) deals with an ussettling cop due to the recent death of his pregnant wife in a car crash happened a year ago, along with his colleague Estabilz , both of whom investigating twisted criminal cases executed by a ruthless series killer . Suspenseful and mysterious flick with an interesting group of roles caught into fear , despair and disgusting deeds due to an ominous killer on the loose who carries out an astonishing criminal spree . As the main question of the movie is to discover the true murderer , as the starring cop and his parter must unravel the mysterious murders and determine if they are the work of a copycat or if he put the wrong man behind bars long time ago . Twisted , interesting and complex script by Roger Danès and Alfred Pérez Fargas, based on the novel written by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi . Main and support cast are frankly well . Javier Rey gives a fine acting as a cop who returns after deceasing his wife and to join the police force while facing with a lot of murders proceeded by a nasty and intelligent serial killer . While his partner cop , Aura Garrrido , is pretty good , as she is a cool actress, as she has proved in Ministerio Del Tiempo series and the previous Daniel Calparsoro film : El aviso (2018) or The Warning that she starred , as well . They're stunningly accompanied by a terrific support cast , such as : Manolo Solo , Alex Brendemühl playing two twin brothers , Ramón Barea, Rubén Ochandiano, Pedro Casablanc , Txema Blasco, Joseba Apaolaza, Itziar Ituño, Ramón Agirre , Itziar Atienza , among others .

The fim packs a thrilling and stirring musical score by Fernando Velázquez . Likewise, an evocative as well as colorful cinematography by Josu Inchaustegui , shot completely on location in Vitoria , Basque Country , Spain , showing religious parades , processions , local parties , monuments , the recently restored Cathedral of Vitoria and other sightseeing from this gorgeous city . The motion picture was well directed by veteran director Daniel Calparsoro, though It has a few flaws , certain confusion , and gaps . Daniel has a long career as filmmaker from his beginning with Basque films as ¨Pasajes¨, ¨Salto al vacio¨, ¨A ciegas¨ , ¨Ausentes¨ ; subsequently making thrillers as ¨Asfalto¨ , ¨Guerreros¨ , ¨Invasor¨ , and the successful ¨Combustion¨ , ¨La advertencia¨ , and ¨Cien años de perdon¨ . He also directed Tv series as ¨Inocentes¨, ¨La ira¨, ¨El castigo¨ , ¨Apaches¨. Rating 6.5/10 . Decent and passable yarn as well as acceptable thriller.

It's literally the first time I write a review. i just wanted to warn people not to watch this movie. Really it's perhaps the worst thing I've watched in a long time. Acting is horrible, scenario does not make sense at all, I had to stop watching 10 minutes before the end

Good movies not as bad as people mentioned it. AK.

Whoever edited this movie should be fired immediately. What could have been a decent Da Vinci-style mystery was turned into a mess due to bad direction or bad editing or both.

To explain, you barely know what is going on or why. It appears some very key scenes were deleted which caused the story to be disjointed. Too often you would see a police at a suspect's house but you never saw the information or clue that led them there. One scene the police are looking at a newspaper clipping, next they are knocking down doors without explaining what they saw or why. There are many illiogicla time jumps, such as jogging in the middle of the night and somehow it is bright sunlight and they are jogging.

There is a movie somewhere hidden in this if you can decipher the mess.

Not such a mystery Not plot twists Not a masterpiece Just a easy going movie to spend some time

An absolute dire film with cardboard cutout characters and a ridiculous plot. A lot of the film sees the hero (male) policeman running after people. I fast forwarded those parts, then fast forwarded more. The sex scenes are laughable as is most of the dialogue and I'm wondering who is giving this film 5 star ratings?

A good if convoluted thriller based on the familiar serial killer trope and set in Vitoria-Gasteiz, capital of Euskadi. My favourite city in Spain which I have visited a few times and the reason I watched the movie. The negative reviews are mostly because the viewer did not understand the movie so it is a personal choice. Acting is fine if not brilliant and the plot good if a bit confusing here and there. My one criticism is that nearly everyone in Vitoria speaks Basque not Spanish and proudly so yet noone in the movie did. Why not set it in Madrid where everyone speaks Spanish?

People always on run with no reason, it should be named the running cast, boring and long story, don't bother to see it you will not miss anything!

Absolutely pathetic acting. The Director should take up a job as a janitor at an old run down school that nobody likes. Several scenes where the criminal gets away by running into a crowd of people dancing, singing, and playing loud music or instruments (done so many times before, and it doesn't work anymore at all). "... your brother." "My twin." Like, we needed that line, because we're so dumb, right? That's how this movie treats it's audience - as though they are completely dumb. I'm a bloke, so it got two stars for the boobies.

Not every cop thriller has to make sense. Not everything has to be top notch. This is not the movie Seven (for different reasons, story and otherwise), this is just an investigation into some murders. If you like crime movies and are intrigued by the concept in general, you'll be entertained.

Or at the edge of your seat mostly. Even when or after you know (way before our detectives) what is happening. The ethics will not be everyones cup of tea, the investigation and what comes out of it, may not feel right. The police work may feel weak compared to other movies ... but if you try to enjoy what is and there is a lot to enjoy (from the actors to stunning visuals and a compelling story overall) it'll turn out better. And the quality is there as said, even if far removed from perfect