Review of Marshland (2014) by Josè M — 15 Feb 2017

This 2014 Spanish film won a number of awards, but in the end, left me cold. The cinematography is stark and flat and is supposed to reflect the state of Spain after Franco and the lasting effects of his rule.

But, cinematography can't make up for a thin and in the end pretentious script. This is the story of two police officers, one of the new era, and the other a Franco-era throw back. They investigate a series of crimes of the killing of (wait for it) young girls.

There is a subplot of the politically compromised background of the old school Franco cop, but this is not developed and is just awkwardly dropped into the crime story without integration or real intelligent development.

I also objected to the gratuitous half-clothed dead women scenes and also the graphic portrayal of a young woman whose nipples had been cut off. There was no need for this. it could have been said that she had been mutilated, without this needless exploitation of violence against women, which is all too common and in my mind, revolting.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone and was not particularly impressed that it was shown in our normally excellent movie series locally.