Suosurmat

Unprecedentedly impressive "Spanish-Louisiana" genius loci of a place in the middle of nowhere that goes hand in hand with a disturbing atmosphere in a thriller about a pair of distrustful detectives in a dark "Fincher crime movie" that is as much about the brutal murder of young girls as the about two of them, their demons and the time just after the Frank regime. Visually refined (shot from above of endless falling rain drops!), well performed and also, unfortunately, the closer to the end, the more the course and sound become somewhat genre-wise and already seen countless times elsewhere, although not necessarily always of such quality. (18.01.2015)

This was an atmospheric ride from start to finish! I had been planning to watch Marshland for many years, as the reviews promised a high-quality, old-school detective story. I must agree with other reviewers on this. It is truly one of the best crime films in recent years. It doesn’t try to be a convoluted plot with many side stories, there’s no action, and the central duo doesn’t crack a single joke throughout the film. Instead, it focuses solely on developing the two main characters and, especially, on the serial murders committed in a remote Spanish village. The film’s dirty and worn look enhances its impact, and setting it in the 80s adds an extra layer of intensity (I don’t know why, but I prefer detective stories set in older times). The dialogues are cleverly written, engaging for the audience, and they don’t leave you indifferent. The panoramic aerial shots add a touch of perfection. The ending is decent, the chase for the killer is excellent... it ends quite openly, and it’s not a perfectly satisfying conclusion where everyone involved is content. But this kind of ending suited the film very well. For me, it’s a solid 8/10. (20.02.2021)

An example of a very basic detective story, which benefits only from its impressive atmosphere, evoked primarily by the choice of setting and the minimalist stylization of the mise-en-scène. Although it’s impossible to predict the development in advance, there is no moment of significant surprise or a scene that would grab a slightly more experienced viewer by the balls and give them a good wiggle. The ending is very good, but the violent connection with the dark period of the post-Franco regime (again serving only to evoke atmosphere) has far from the desired effect and is basically superfluous. Still a solid and confident genre film, though. 65% (07.08.2017)

An excellent crime drama from post-Franco Spain, its atmosphere reminiscent of the first series of True Detective or the 90s film Se7en. It is pushed above the genre average by well-written characters and the bold incorporation of the political/social level, which is bolted onto the central criminal plot in an interesting way. (13.03.2019)

A Spanish feature-length version of True Detective (with its locations, the detective duo and gloomy atmosphere), Marshland is engaging with its multidimensional characters and suspenseful, disturbingly unresolved climax. It’s also well edited, with a lot of unexpected powerful moments. (13.04.2016)