Cell 211 is a Spanish foreign language film that takes place in
a Basque prison.
The film follows the main character, Juan Oliver, who is about to report for his first day of work at the prison when he is caught up in a prison riot.
The film follows the main character, Juan Oliver, who is about to report for his first day of work at the prison when he is caught up in a prison riot.
Cell 211 focuses on many issues pertaining to the treatment of
inmates in Spanish prisons and the history of prison riots in Spain.
Cell 211 co-stars Luis Tosar, who also played a starring role
in the film Ma ma beside Penelope Cruz that I
have spoken about previously.
Synopsis
The film follows Juan Oliver as he shows up a day before his first day of work to make a good impression. While taking a tour of the facility, all hell breaks loose and Juan Oliver gets caught in the crossfire.
He ends up being injured and is placed in an empty cell by officers before prison inmates take control of the prison.
He wakes up in the empty cell to inmates hovering over his body prodding him with questions. In order to survive Juan Oliver decides to hide his identity and pretends to be a new inmate.
Soon enough he is ushered out of his cell towards the leader
of the riot, Malamadre, who is played by the before mentioned Luis Tosar.
Malamadre is the biggest, baddest and most feared inmate who runs the show. In order to survive, Juan Oliver gives Malamadre some ideas of how to make the prison officials meet the demands of the inmates. In doing so, Juan Oliver gains Malamadre’s trust, quickly becoming his second in command.
Malamadre is the biggest, baddest and most feared inmate who runs the show. In order to survive, Juan Oliver gives Malamadre some ideas of how to make the prison officials meet the demands of the inmates. In doing so, Juan Oliver gains Malamadre’s trust, quickly becoming his second in command.
The remainder of the film follows Juan Oliver and Malamadre as
they speak with prison officials in negotiation talks. All while Juan Oliver
plays the role of a double agent behind bars.
We follow the story from both the inmate’s and the prison official’s points of view as tensions, pressures and concerns rise with the length of the riot.
We follow the story from both the inmate’s and the prison official’s points of view as tensions, pressures and concerns rise with the length of the riot.
Important Themes
Cell 211 touches on many themes present in prison films. Most specifically focusing on the running of Spanish prisons and the treatment inmates receive behind bars.
According to 2015 statistics, there are over 61 thousand prisoners in Spain with the ninth highest incarceration rates among EU countries despite low delinquency rates.
In 2010, Spain had the third highest prison occupancy rate in the EU. But since then rates have decreased by 19%, largely due to a 2010 penal reform which reduced the length of sentences for select crimes. (A reform which encourages less time behind bars for sentences relating to road security crimes).
However, as prison populations have dropped there is
evidence that shows that the population of inmates is unevenly spread nationally.
With many prisons outside of large cities being overpopulated and other prisons
(many which have been newly built) remaining empty, as can be explained in this article by Fortune Magazine.
Moreover, Cell 211 also touches on the history
of prison riots in Spain, Spanish speaking and Latin countries.
For example in 1998, there was a riot in a Bogota prison in Columbia, which saw 15 inmate fatalities and the death of a prison gang leader. At the time, the country of Columbia had 169 prisons that had the capacity for 29 thousand prisoners, but housed upwards to 43 thousand.
In 2016 there was a riot in a Mexican prison in Monterrey, where 49 people died. And just last year in early 2017, there was a riot in a Brazilian prison in Manaus, Amazonas that left 56 people dead.
In all of the aforementioned cases, each of the prisons had issues relating to overpopulation, crime-related feuds and inadequacy seen from prison personnel during conflict.
For example in 1998, there was a riot in a Bogota prison in Columbia, which saw 15 inmate fatalities and the death of a prison gang leader. At the time, the country of Columbia had 169 prisons that had the capacity for 29 thousand prisoners, but housed upwards to 43 thousand.
In 2016 there was a riot in a Mexican prison in Monterrey, where 49 people died. And just last year in early 2017, there was a riot in a Brazilian prison in Manaus, Amazonas that left 56 people dead.
In all of the aforementioned cases, each of the prisons had issues relating to overpopulation, crime-related feuds and inadequacy seen from prison personnel during conflict.
Conclusion
Overall, Cell 211 is a fabulous foreign film. It tells a great story of survival, grit and resilience.
It touches on a variety of themes relating to life in prison and how a short time in jail can greatly change someone.
Give it a watch. It is one of the best prison films I’ve
seen alongside Un Prophète (starring Tahar Rahim),
Hunger (starring Michael Fassbender) and Starred Up (starring Jack O'Connell).
Cell 211 is definitely a great film and if you enjoy it, I highly recommend the three I just mentioned above, too.
Cell 211 is definitely a great film and if you enjoy it, I highly recommend the three I just mentioned above, too.
