Cell 211 poster
Review

Cell 211 2009

Directed by Daniel Monzón · 108 mins · 1,660 views

4.2 Letterboxd 3.76(38,697)
Ratings C P R J R M 𝒍 D E B

Synopsis

The story of two men on different sides of a prison riot -- the inmate leading the rebellion and the young guard trapped in the revolt, who poses as a prisoner in a desperate attempt to survive the ordeal.

Trailers

Reviews (13)

  1. C
    C4rlo5 8 月 23, 2026

    “Se hace lo que se puede”. Spanish thriller directed by Daniel Monzón, starring Luis Tosar, who won a Goya Award for Best Actor because of his impressive performance here as Malamadre. It’s the movie winner of the Goya Award for Best Film of 2009. It’s about a prison riot in Zamora and how a new officer of the prison gets involved there. It has a really good premise, interesting characters, a good script and such a good pacing. It manages to entertain the viewer, it also connects with the audience, it’s able to make you feel the pain, the sadness and also the joy that it portrays. Unexpected situations make the plot a really good one, since you won’t expect what’s next, unpredictable from…

    116
  2. P
    paulaibez 8 月 23, 2026

    ¿Quién lo está pasando peor esta semana yo o Juan Oliver?

    95
  3. R

    RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL AQUI Some prison movies like to ease you in, spending a good chunk of time introducing characters and laying out the rules of the world. Cell 211 does the exact opposite. It throws you straight into the deep end. Within minutes, the prison is completely overtaken by a riot, and chaos is the only thing on the menu. There’s no complicated ideology driving the inmates—just anger, desperation, and a desire to burn the system down. That alone would be intense enough, but the movie gets even more gripping once it locks onto its main perspective: a rookie prison guard who suddenly finds himself trapped inside the uprising. From that point on, Cell 211 basically becomes a survival…

    138 2
  4. J
    jodie 8 月 23, 2026

    juan x malamadre 💞💞

    144
  5. R
    Rahul Gill 8 月 23, 2026

    Girls: We’ve been friends for 10 years, and I still don’t trust her. Guys: After meeting for 10 minutes and not knowing each others names, I am gonna die for you, you are my brother.

    104 4
  6. M
    Miguel 8 月 23, 2026

    Just a reminder: never go to work on a day you don’t absolutely have to.

    261
  7. 𝒍
    𝒍𝙞𝙖. 8 月 23, 2026

    what if we kissed in cell 211 😳

    157
  8. D
    Degge 8 月 23, 2026

    8/10 Está muy bien pero sospecho que en la vida real no hay tantos negros en Zamora.

    70
  9. B
    Bigu 8 月 23, 2026

    Interesante thriller con una ambientación que invita a mantener la atención en la película todo el tiempo. Es tensa, entretenida y bien planteada.

    74
  10. Y
    ylenia 8 月 23, 2026

    romeo & juliet but make it a prison riot

    98
  11. H
    helenuchis 8 月 23, 2026

    objetivos 2022: echarme una cervecita en malaga con malamadre

    77 3
  12. C
    CinemaSerf 3 月 14, 2024

    Now there are a few rather daft plot holes here, but in the main this is a really strong prison drama anchored well by Luis Tosar and Alberto Ammann. The latter man (“Juan”) is on an orientation visit to a high security prison were he is shortly to begin work when a full scale riot breaks out. That is being led by “Malamadre” (Tosar) and it’s only by luck – he had had an earlier accident and was recovering in cell 211 – that he isn’t taken hostage like two of his soon-to-be colleagues. He’s quite a quick thinker and thanks to him being slightly bloodstained, manages to convince their new boss that he’s just another new inmate. Make no mistake, though – he is treading a very fine line as not everyone believes him, and as the negotiations begin in earnest he knows it is going to prove increasingly more difficult to help diffuse this scenario and stay in one piece. Meantime, the authorities are making quite an hash of things on the outside – and that rather shambolic operation leads to a tragedy that causes “Juan” to completely rethink his loyalties! What’s actually more effective here is the dialogue and quite intense style of photography. Violent and angry it is, yes – but these prisoners are victims too. Their protests against a brutal regime of solitary confinement have long since fallen on deaf ears, so this action is quite literally their last resort – just ask the previous occupant of cell 211! Tosar is impressive as the slightly more sophisticated thug and as the two men work together, a bond – of sorts – begins that might ultimately be the only thing that keeps any of them breathing.

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My rating

A Alberto Ammann Juan Oliver
L Luis Tosar Malamadre
A Antonio Resines José Utrilla
M Marta Etura Elena
M Manuel Morón Ernesto Almansa
C Carlos Bardem Apache
L Luis Zahera Releches
F Fernando Soto Armando Nieto
V Vicente Romero Sánchez Tachuela
M Manolo Solo Prison Director
P Patxi Bisquert Jon Arteaga
J Josean Bengoetxea Antxon Elorza 'El Profesor'
A Anartz Zuazua Asier Urruticoechea
M Miguel Martín Pincho
F Félix Cubero Germán
D David Selvas Ernesto Dueñas
R Ricardo de Barreiro Julián
A Antonio Durán 'Morris' Borrego
J Jesús Carroza Elvis
S Suso Lista Pitufo
Director Daniel Monzón
Writer Jorge Guerricaechevarría, Daniel Monzón
Producer Juan Gordon, Álvaro Augustín, Emma Lustres, Borja Pena, Vérane Frédiani, Franck Ribière
Executive Producer Pilar Benito, Elena Manrique, Emma Lustres, Javier Ugarte, Borja Pena
Editor Mapa Pastor
Original Music Roque Baños, Ginés Carrión
Sound Sergio Burmann, Carlos Faruolo, Jaime Fernández
Special Effects Juan Serrano
Stunts José Ignacio Álvarez
Art Direction Antón Laguna
Casting Eva Leira, Yolanda Serrano
Synopsis
The story of two men on different sides of a prison riot -- the inmate leading the rebellion and the young guard trapped in the revolt, who poses as a prisoner in a desperate attempt to survive the ordeal.
Director
Daniel Monzón
Writer
Jorge Guerricaechevarría, Daniel Monzón
Studio
Vaca Films, La Fabrique 2, Morena Films, Telecinco Cinema
Country
France, Spain
Language
Spanish, English, Basque
Year
2009
Runtime
108 mins

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