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Lluís Quílez

Javier Gutiérrez

Karra Elejalde

Luis Callejo

Patrick Criado

Andrés Gertrúdix

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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Below Zero’ on Netflix, An Action Thriller Import With White-Knuckle Tension To Spare

Where to stream:.

• Below Zero (Bajocero)

Spanish action thriller Below Zero (Netflix)builds a hefty amount of tension as a prisoner transport gone wrong puts an honest cop in a life-or-death struggle aboard a moving vehicle, with no backup and only the prisoners for aid. Who can he trust? 

BELOW ZERO : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Martin (Javier Gutierrez) is a National Police Corps officer transferring into a new precinct. His first assignment? Driving an armored prisoner transport rig along with his new partner, Montesinos. It’s nighttime, and it’s cold, but you gotta do what you gotta do, and Martin settles into the cab for the long drive out to the sticks, with Montesinos in the observation area in back and each prisoner locked in an individual compartment. It doesn’t take long for the operation to go south.

As fog sets in on the desolate highway through thick woods, Martin loses visibility of the lead patrol car. Road spikes glint in the rig’s headlights, and before he knows it, the rig is disabled. It only gets worse when Montesinos climbs out to investigate and is never heard from again. The prisoners are getting rowdy in their compartment cells, and one man, Ramis, has already been shown to have a means of escaping his box. Did he plan this attack? Martin is in the dark and on his own, and now he’s getting shot at. How’s that for a first day on the job?

Below Zero steadily builds tension as the commandeered prison van picks up speed, and the plot introduces and dismisses each prisoner’s potential motives for the attack. And when the rig interior is assailed with gasoline piped in from above, and has the heat cut off on this bitterly cold night, it’s clear that whoever attacked them is not afraid to kill any of them. Martin, forced to work with the remaining jailbirds at finding an exit or a means of turning the tables in their favor, discovers that there is at least some honor amongst thieves, even if he also learns how amoral other men can be, and finally, how far some will go to avenge a wrongful death.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Con Air , this is not, but there are echoes of that 1990s action classic in the armed takeover of the transport. Speaking of the 90s, Below Zero also recalls the interpersonal tension and raw survival of the thrilling prison bus sequence in 1993’s The Fugitive . For a different, totally insane, and profoundly violent take on fighting inside a cramped prison bus, check out the hardcore Indonesian action thriller The Night Comes for Us .

Performance Worth Watching: Luis Callejo is terrific as Ramis, the career small-timer who had his own plan to escape the prison transfer before it was even attacked, complete with a homemade lock pick that he concealed in the only place the cops weren’t going to search. Caught up in the chaos of the assault on the rig, Ramis uses his wits to search out an escape. It also turns out he was also in the flamenco band that played at Martin’s wedding. “My uncle taught me to play guitar,” he tells the group with a resigned grin. “But I was better at picking locks. What can I say? Only crooks and artists lead interesting lives.”

Memorable Dialogue: It’s a mess inside the prison rig. The men are at each other’s throats. Confusion reigns. No one knows who planned this attack, or at least no one is admitting involvement. And then the intercom radio crackles. “Nano. I told you we’d meet again.” And the kid goes green with fear, his tough guy neck tattoos seeming to shrivel up in terror.

Sex and Skin: None. There is a description of the assault and murder of an innocent young woman that is tough to listen to.

Our Take: Taking place almost entirely across the murky stretch of one cold night, Below Zero builds a strong sense of foreboding from the beginning. Six prisoners, each one mouthy but in his own way. Two police officers on board, one who has admitted to scoffing at the rulebook. Who among these disparate personalities has someone on the outside willing to try and knock over a prison transport rig? The early narrative feints are executed efficiently. Is it the Romanian crime boss? What about Montecito, the jaded cop with the sly smile? Or Ramis, with his secret lock pick tool? It’s a matter of when the van is hit, not if, and even after the attack, Below Zero still manages to make the tension ping off the walls of the tight, uncomfortable space in the back of the prison rig.

Once the attacker’s target on board is revealed, the tension mutates again. Cop or criminal, each man is locked in a cage with cages of its own that’s literally being driven down the road by a madman who has already proved to be a killer. And when all of their moves are spent, and the sun has come up, the attacker still has one final terror left to flush out his prey. It’s about to get a lot colder and a lot wetter in there. With its white-knuckle sense of atmosphere and ever-dwindling list of who’s still breathing, Below Zero builds to its climax with a bead drawn on desperation.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The fog of unease clears, only for acute violence to surface in its place as Below Zero begins its tense and claustrophobic hurtle down a silent road, destined for an unknowable demise.

Should you stream or skip the Spanish action thriller #BELOWZERO on @netflix ? #SIOSI — Decider (@decider) January 29, 2021

Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges

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What Is  Below Zero and Why Is It Suddenly No. 1 on Netflix?

The new thriller is only the latest example of netflix making a hit out of a foreign import..

Every now and then, something you probably haven’t heard of will bounce to the top of Netflix’s Top 10 list. This week’s surprise winner for Netflix’s No. 1 spot is Below Zero , a Spanish action film that debuted on the streaming platform on January 29 with no fanfare. Its thumbnail doesn’t give away much that isn’t already suggested by the film’s title—i.e., it’s cold.

“Well then, what is it?” you may ask. “What is it about? Why is it atop Netflix’s charts?” After watching Below Zero , I can only answer those first two questions concretely, but the answers to those two questions also point us to a possible answer to the third, so let’s dive into the freezing rabbit hole together.

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What is Below Zero ?

As it turns out, Below Zero is a pretty standard action movie that follows a prisoner transport van. Police officer Martin (Javier Gutiérrez) is assigned to drive the truck, and unfortunately for him, things start to go awry almost immediately. There’s a shadowy figure tailing the truck, and not all of the prisoners are who they seem to be.

Before we go any further, is it actually below zero in Below Zero ?

Yeah, a major plot point is that a cold front is coming in.

So is it a prison escape movie, or a chase movie, or …?

I think I’d call it a thriller or a survival movie. Yes, there’s a prison escape element, and yes, there’s a chase element, but the movie switches gears pretty frequently.

I see what you did there.

Oh no. What I’m saying is that it’s not long into the movie before Martin gets trapped in the back of the truck with the prisoners, and the dynamic shifts back and forth from cop versus prisoners, to prisoners versus prisoners, to truck team versus shadowy figure.

Can we go back a bit? This Spanish police officer is simply named “Martin”? Is that his first name or his last name? It seems unlikely that Spaniards would just call a cop “Martin.”

Well, in the original Spanish version he’s Martín, but I think the subtitles made him Martin in order to make things easier for non-Spanish-speaking Americans.

So is it a bottle movie? Does the whole movie take place in the truck?

Most of it does. There’s a little hopping in and out of the vehicle, too, but not a lot, perhaps because it is so cold.

This sounds like something Liam Neeson or Denzel Washington would star in if it got remade in America.

Honestly, that assessment is not far off the mark! The blue-grey color palette certainly brings to mind movies like Non-Stop and The Commuter , not to mention the aptly named The Grey . That said, Martin is maybe a little less fearsome than Neeson or Washington. He’s someone that, if the need arose, you’d probably take your chances with in a fight.

Who is the star of this movie, anyway? Is this Javier Gutiérrez guy the Liam Neeson of Spain, and is that why this movie is so big?

Well, Gutiérrez has won two Goya awards for Best Actor. (Those are kind of like the Spanish Oscars.) So that’s probably part of it. But there’s no evidence that Gutiérrez is as big in the U.S. as someone like Neeson.

Is the movie based on anything?

Nope! Though it’s easy to imagine picking up a book with this exact plot while in an airport bookstore, the movie is an original.

Wait, so if they hardly ever leave this truck, where does the cold factor in?

This is a mild spoiler, so turn back now if you actually want to watch the movie, but towards the end, the truck gets driven into a frozen lake and starts to flood.

The movie is filled with surprises like this, and even some bona fide twists. Frankly, not all of them are earned—it’s kind of like The Snowman , if you remember that movie. The tagline was “Mister Police […] I gave you all the clues,” but then if you actually watched the movie it was like … no you didn’t. The clues aren’t all there in this case, either, but the action moves quickly enough that it’s hard to complain.

So, is it good?

It’s pretty fun! It definitely hits a certain mood (as I write this, sheets and sheets of snow are coming down outside), but even beyond that, as per the above answer, you literally can’t 100 percent guess where it’s going, and the relationships between the characters make it easy to get invested. Be warned, though, that there are a few gory moments (a head getting impaled, a hand being blown apart), so it’s not a journey for the faint of heart.

Has anything like this ever reached the top of Netflix’s charts before?

Well, a few days ago the No. 1 movie was the middling Russell Crowe thriller The Next Three Days , and Netflix has had major successes with genre imports like the French series Lupin (which also hit No. 1) and the Spanish series Money Heist (which is one of Netflix’s most popular series ever). Put those together and you’ve got Below Zero !

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Common sense media reviewers.

Gory but fun thriller has strong violence, language, nudity.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Martin and prisoners show great determination, per

Martin is a good cop and follows the rules. He sta

Men get punched, kicked, slapped, beaten, bludgeon

Full-frontal nudity of a man's not-erect penis. Sh

Strong language includes "f--k," "f--king," "s--t,

Some adults smoke cigarettes.

Parents need to know that Below Zero is a Spanish thriller about a National Police Corps officer in Spain who must transport a large vehicle moving 6 dangerous inmates to another prison in the dead of night. The film has fun playing with different genres and their conventions and expectations, and there's…

Positive Messages

Martin and prisoners show great determination, perseverance, and teamwork getting out of tricky situations.

Positive Role Models

Martin is a good cop and follows the rules. He stands up against further police brutality from his police partner. Ramis and some of the other prisoners show trust, friendship, and teamwork. No diversity.

Violence & Scariness

Men get punched, kicked, slapped, beaten, bludgeoned, stabbed, and shot. A man hits another man in the head with a shovel and buries him alive. The same man shoots police officers, killing them, while torturing others for information. Faces are bloodied, cut, and bruised. Some prisoners are made to strip, one having to bend over and cough. Police threaten beatings. An older man burns to death in a cell. Another gets stabbed in the hand with a shard of glass. Car crashes, drownings, freezings, bullet wounds, and talk of slitting throats and murder. One man gets his head gruesomely bashed in with the bottom of a fire extinguisher. Another man gets his hand blown off by a shotgun. A very disturbing description of all the suffering one man's 13-year-old daughter went through before being murdered, including multiple rapes, torture, abuse, drugging, and mention of objects like pliers, bottles, and cigarette butts.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Full-frontal nudity of a man's not-erect penis. Shirtless men in a locker room. A few romantic kisses.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language includes "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "bitch," "a--hole," "hell," "pr--ks," and "d--k."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Below Zero is a Spanish thriller about a National Police Corps officer in Spain who must transport a large vehicle moving 6 dangerous inmates to another prison in the dead of night. The film has fun playing with different genres and their conventions and expectations, and there's plenty of fun, tension, thrills, mystery, and violence. Expect a fair amount of gore, death, guns, gunshot wounds, bloody and beaten faces, stabbing, body parts blown off or bashed in, car chases and crashes, drownings, impalement, and a man burning to death. There's also a very-hard-to-listen-to description of the rape, abuse, mutilation, and murder of a 13-year-old girl at the end of the film. Strong language throughout includes "f--k," "f--king," "s--t," "bitch," "a--hole," "hell," "pr--ks," and "d--k." Full-frontal nudity of a man's not-erect penis. Smoking. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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What's the Story?

In BELOW ZERO, police officer Martin (Javier Gutierrez) starts his first day in a new precinct. His first assignment pairs him with an aggressive partner, and they must drive a large prisoner transport van with a small number of inmates to another prison. The problem is they must leave during the dead of night, and it's very, very cold outside. There also seems to be someone after the transport van. Are they friend, foe, both, or neither? Who can Martin trust?

Is It Any Good?

There's lots of fun to be had in this violent thriller that twists and turns its way through different genres like suspense, mystery, survival, and horror. Below Zero somehow works either despite all the mashing up of genres or because of it. For instance, the film might first begin with a nod to horror, but then firmly establish a mystery, only to then move into psychological thriller territory, then back for more horror, then transition to a survival kind of thing, then jump back to a reminder of the core mystery, then to a hunter-hunted kind of thing, then back to survival, and so on, before final revelations. This might be the subtle genius of the film, this deft handling of the above and all in one, clear voice and tone.

While the film unfortunately lacks any representation outside of all the light-skinned Spanish men in this film, the acting is gripping, textured, and easy to slip into watching. Gutierrez's Martin is solidly determined to hold onto his humanity while trying to manage a group of prisoners. And Callejo's Ramis takes over every scene he's in and becomes another kind of heart of the film by the end. Further, each character is thoughtfully sketched out and given bits of background and history that are scattered throughout the banter and dialogue. Alliances are shaped and crossed, expectations of characters are toyed with and thwarted, and Martin can never quite fully know who he can trust. The violence and gore could be a turnoff for some, however, as it comes suddenly and brutally, sometimes without warning.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how the violence in Below Zero . Do you think the film could have been as effective as a thriller without the violence? How so? Was any of the violence too much?

Do you think the portrayal of the prisoners was well done? What did you like most about the group or cast? What did you like least? In comparison with the police officers in the film, how do the inmates fare? Did you feel their respective representations were realistic? Why or why not?

Would you have done anything differently in any of the situations presented in the movie? In which situations, and what would you have done differently?

Do you think "justice was served," by the end of the film? Why or why not?

Discuss the mashup of genres in the movie. Do you think this helps or hurts the delivery of the story?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : January 29, 2021
• Cast : Javier Gutiérrez , Karra Elejalde , Luis Callejo , Andres Gertrudix
• Director : Lluis Quilez
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Thriller
• Run time : 106 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Action/Adventure , Crime , Drama , Thriller

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Javier Gutiérrez as Martín; Karra Elejalde as Miguel; Luis Callejo as Ramis; Andrés Gertrúdix as Golum; Isak Férriz as Montesinos; Édgar Vittorino as Rei; Miquel Gelabert as Pardo; Florin Opritescu as Mihai; Àlex Monner as Chino; Patrick Criado as Nano

Home Release Date

• January 29, 2021
• Lluís Quílez

Distributor

Movie review.

First days on the job are just the worst.

Take Martin. This longtime Spanish cop is moving to a new precinct, dealing with new procedures and learning about new partners. And his first assignment? It’s a doozy.

Oh, it shouldn’t be all that difficult: He and his new partner, Montesinos, must transport a half-dozen felons to a new prison, which sounds simple enough. Only one of the guys—a Romanian sex trafficker—seems particularly dangerous. Other than that, their passengers are pretty small fry: a petty crook here, a drug user there, an elderly politician who embezzled some money over in the corner. It should be a quiet trip.

But it’s a night trip, which seems unusual to Martin. The weather’s going to dip well below freezing. And there could be snow on the road. Montesinos tells him that he’ll likely freeze off, um, critical pieces of his anatomy before the trip’s done.

But another complication lurks in wait—the most dangerous one of all. A man wants to get his hands on one of the passengers in the worst way. He’ll kill, in fact, to do it. He’s done it before. He’ll do it again before the night’s through; several times, if he must. This prisoner—alive—is worth a few dead bodies, including those wearing a badge.

First days on the job are hard, for sure. But most people, at least, survive to see their second.

Positive Elements

Most of the characters we meet here are hardened criminals. And the cops we meet sometimes have their own issues. But all the folks wearing a badge want to deliver the prisoners, so that’s a good thing. And Martin—well, he seems like a bit of an idealist when it comes to his job. And that’s also a good thing.

When Montesinos abuses his authority before the trip begins, Martin calls him on it—telling him to back away from a prisoner before the two come to blows. And when Montesinos tells him to relax, Martin says, “Rules aren’t meant to be relaxed, Montesinos.”

We all know that laws can be imperfect mechanisms in establishing justice, and Martin’s idealism is challenged before the movie’s end. But he starts at the place we all—and where, especially, a police officer—should start: trusting in the rules and codes placed before us, while understanding that no human law is perfect.

While many of the other characters we meet are indeed criminals, some show a better character than we might’ve suspected. Some act sacrificially, and one saves the life of an enemy before the story concludes.

Spiritual Elements

A couple of the prisoners have tattoos of crucifixes.

Sexual Content

Before the ride begins, all of the prisoners are strip searched. We see several men in their underwear. They’re also forced to drop their underwear briefly, and we see one expose himself to the camera. (Another is forced to pull down his drawers, squat and cough; we see a bit of his genitals as he does so.) A prisoner jokes that Montesinos must like looking at men’s privates. (Men are also shown without shirts on in a police shower.)

One of the prisoners is something of a crime lord and human trafficker, and Montesinos tells Martin that more than “200 girls” were working for him when he was finally captured.

Though we’ll (unfortunately) go into greater length on this point in violent content, worth mentioning here: Rape is discussed in sometimes graphic detail. One victim was allegedly just 13.

Violent Content

The movie opens with a hooded assailant beating and torturing a young man. We see the guy punched and chocked, dragged through the mud (face first) by a chain, thwacked in the face with a shovel and then buried alive.

It gets worse.

Someone burns to death. Another drowns. A third is bludgeoned fatally with a fire extinguisher. People are shot and killed or die via automobile crash. A man dies after a big, metallic point gets rammed into the top of his skull.

Those who don’t die still suffer some pretty horrific injuries. A couple of men get shot in the legs (which makes running from the various dangers they face difficult). A man is stabbed in the hand with a piece of glass, creating an incredibly grotesque wound. Another man has his hand shot clean off, and we see it (and the resulting howling anguish). Someone’s nearly deafened by a gunshot.

Several faces are streaked with blood. Someone threatens to cut someone open. Several people nearly drown or freeze to death or both. Characters hit, kick, bite, get kneed in the groin and perform (and suffer) choke holds. Someone seems to suffer a broken nose. A vehicle plunges into icy, lethal water. Guns are pointed. Many, many threats are made. A prisoner brags that he’s got nine years to go in his sentence because he put his sister’s rapist in a coma.

[ Spoiler Warning ] The movie’s mysterious killer is a father bent on revenge. His daughter was repeatedly raped, tortured and killed, and he’s desperate to learn the location of the body from a man whom he thinks was one of the responsible parties. We hear a graphic description of what happened to the teen girl before she died, which we’ll simply say is horrific.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear nearly 180 f-words (at least), sometimes paired with the word “mother,” sometimes used with Christ’s name. The s-word is used about 20 times, and we hear pretty much every other profanity in the ledgers at least once as well. They include “a–,” “b–ch,” “b–tard,” “d–n,” “h—,” “p-ss,” “pr–k” and “d–k.”

God’s name is misused at least four times, including three of those with the word “d–n.” Jesus’ name is abused at least another five times.

Drug and Alcohol Content

One of the prisoners is a drug addict, and he admits that he began his career in crime to feed that habit. Another prisoner says that once he gets out, he plans to start a bar in the Caribbean. A couple of characters smoke cigarettes.

Other Negative Elements

A prisoner smuggles something in his rear end. To get access to the on-board bathroom to retrieve it, he lets loose some ill-smelling gas and complains of feeling sick. Once in the bathroom, we see the prisoner presumably fish around in his backside, then see the package he retrieves.

Someone vomits.

Naturally, lots of the characters here have broken a variety of laws, and most admit to their past misdeeds. Montesinos bends some of his own legal leanings, causing some discomfort among his charges that, if his supervisor had seen, would’ve been forced to write up. (His bending of the rules looks, in the end, pretty mild compared to what we later see.)

The Spanish-made Below Zero is a tense, bloody and wildly profane thriller that will undoubtedly keep many viewers on the edge of their seats. Some, though, might be so positioned in order to make a quick run toward the bathroom or to mute the sound.

The movie slots itself somewhere between a gory mystery story and a revenge thriller—the sort of movie that encourages its viewers to cheer when the bad guy gets his and forget the body count that leads up to it. We won’t belabor the flawed morality tale ostensibly in play here: The film’s just not thoughtful enough to spend the time.

Let’s instead draw your attention to the blood and language the film embraces. Oh, what? You think we’ve already covered that? Well, let’s just say we could go on for another 20 or 30 paragraphs covering that exact same ground, and we’d still not wallow in the gore and sadism and obscene language as much as the movie itself did.

Below Zero could’ve carried the same level of narrative power without most of that unfortunate content, of course. The story, and its underlying tension, are not predicated on it. But as constructed, Below Zero , for families, hits way below the belt.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Below Zero – Netflix Review (3/5)

Posted by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard | Jan 29, 2021 | 4 minutes

BELOW ZERO is a new Netflix thriller from Spain (org. title Bajocero ). It does run a bit too long and asks its viewer to accept too much without explanation. Still, it is certainly an entertaining watch, so check it out if you enjoy crime-thrillers. Read our full Below Zero movie review here!

BELOW ZERO is a new Spanish Netflix thriller with crime and action taking the lead from beginning to end. At 1 hour and 46 minutes, it runs too long for its own good. Especially when certain elements of the story seem a tad too far fetched.

Still, I can’t say I wasn’t entertained, so I suspect many Netflix viewers will be happy with this movie.

Continue reading our Below Zero movie review below.

Between a rock and a hard place

The opening scenes of  Below Zero do a great job of introducing the characters. Since the police officer Martin is the main protagonist, we see most of his life. This also means we know what kind of person he is when Martin ends up trapped in a prison transport van with a handful of prisoners. 

Waiting outside is a man trying to get in and seemingly ready to do whatever it takes. And kill whoever is in the way. He wants to get his hands on just  one  of the prisoners, which means we have a mystery on our hands. One that  will  be revealed but not until the final part of the movie.

In the role of Martin, we have Javier Gutiérrez who is becoming a very familiar face to fans of Spanish movies. He was in the two Spanish Netflix genre movies The Occupant  (2020) and  Mirage  (2018) which offer two entirely different sides of him compared to the character in  Below Zero . With his very recognizable face and small stature, he leaves one hell of an impact.

The ending of  Below Zero  *minor spoilers*

Every movie fan knows that an ending can often do a lot for your overall opinion of the movie. The ending of Below Zero is actually quite good because it offers up a lot of answers. However, it does also leave you with some questions that you never quite get answers to.

The final moments could go one of two ways and I almost wish they’d gone the other way. The way the Below Zero ending plays out just seems very predictable. It would have been braver to go in another direction. Then again, I recognize that a movie like this one is made for the masses. And people wouldn’t have enjoyed a darker or sadder ending.

Still, I do feel that this movie runs a bit too long and ultimately asks its viewer to accept too much without explanation. Just a simple thing like why no one seems to wonder why the prison transport doesn’t arrive at its destination on time? And wouldn’t someone check in with the transport along the way? Both are things that should have been somehow explained.

Also, for a van that wouldn’t start and had flat tires, it definitely manages to suddenly drive. All with just a few quick (and rather far fetched) scenes to explain how. Sure, we see the attacker tightening a few tire bolts and fiddling with wires, but is that really an explanation?! Also, where did he get the new tires from? He only had access to the front cab of the van.

If you think he brought the spare tires with him, then that would indicate a very different plan than “just” getting his hands on the one guy. Also, it would mean he executed his theoretical longer plan very poorly. I mean, he wasn’t exactly ready to get the guy once he got out of the van. It’s just too damn sloppy!

Watch  Below Zero  on Netflix!

Lluís Quílez is the director and co-writer of  Below Zero . This is only the second feature film for Lluís Quílez since he directed  Out of the Dark  (2014) , but he definitely has a good handle on these genre productions. The other co-writer of this new Netflix thriller is Fernando Navarro. He previously co-wrote Paco Plaza’s horror movie Veronica  (2017) and the Netflix movie  Unknown Origins .

You might like:  Our review of  Unknown Origins which is another Spanish Netflix movie >

As already mentioned, this new Netflix thriller is from Spain (org. title Bajocero ) and I do tend to like Spanish genre productions. I also expect a lot from them – especially in terms of plot and characters. I don’t feel this movie was particularly strong in the plot or character department. However, when it comes to production quality, it was definitely well-made.

Well, except for those scenes in the snow, which looked way too fake. From the lighting to the snow, it just felt like a studio recording in all those cringey ways. Then again, this is such a small thing that I won’t hold it against the movie. It’s just that with a title like  Below Zero , you’d expect the scenes in the snow and cold to be a priority.

Personally, I would still recommend that you check out Below Zero if you enjoy crime-thrillers that keep the suspense and tension going.

Below Zero is released on Netflix worldwide on January 29, 2021.

Director: Lluís Quílez Writers: Fernando Navarro, Lluís Quílez Stars: Javier Gutiérrez, Àlex Monner, Patrick Criado, Édgar Vittorino, Karra Elejalde, Luis Callejo, Florin Opritescu, Isak Férriz, Andrés Gertrúdix, Miquel Gelabert

When a prisoner transfer van is attacked, the cop in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: the icy temperatures.

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About The Author

Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!

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Screen Rant

Why below zero is netflix’s number one movie.

Why is Below Zero the #1 movie at Netflix? Here's how the 2021 Spanish crime film blends familiar storytelling archetypes with real-life anxieties.

Why is Below Zero the #1 trending title on Netflix? The Spanish thriller wasn't a highly-anticipated film upon its late January 2021 release, yet it's managed to immediately become a breakout hit. Given the absence of a major international star, it seems Netflix streamers have been hooked by the cryptic opening sequence and the film's ability to sustain suspense over the course of 106 minutes.

Below Zero  ( Bajocero ) takes place over a single day and follows a police officer named Martin (Javier Gutiérrez). On the first day of a new job, he must help transport six criminals to new prison with his colleague, Montesinos (Isak Férriz). The officers initially clash over how to deal with their passengers, but then resolve their differences when the portable prison stops in the middle of nowhere. As the convicts become restless and plot an escape, a gunman emerges and begins firing at the vehicle. The moment marks the film's inciting incident, as the mystery man doesn't intend to help the prisoners but rather has different motivations. Meanwhile, Martin must settle on the most appropriate course of action, which may involve teaming up with one of the focal baddies.

Related:  How The Marksman Compares To Liam Neeson's Other Action Movies

If Below Zero's  premise catches the attention of Netflix subscribers, then the opening sequence suggests it's worth sticking around for the entire duration. The film begins in media res , as a mysterious Man in Black hunts down a young man, like the iconic horror baddies Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers stalk their victims. So, within seconds, there's a mash-up of Western and horror tropes, along with a clear villain who dumps his victim into a shallow grave. Moments later, Below Zero properly begins and shifts attention to the protagonist Martin, who subsequently learns about a dangerous mission. In term of storytelling, the brilliance of the narrative structure is that it establishes clear archetypes within a matter of minutes. There's a bad guy, a good guy, and prisoners with unclear motivations. That's the hook; a way to keep Netflix audiences engaged despite the lack of familiar faces.

Aside from the primary conflict, Below Zero succeeds through its slow burn style of filmmaking. The visuals alone may remind viewers of favorite filmmakers with a minimalistic lean, while the relatively simple premise allows for an accessible viewing experience. For example, there's a clear survivalist theme that immediately stands out, with the opening visuals feeling reminiscent of slasher flicks and the subsequent scenes capturing the mood of an Andrew Dominik drama, a la Killing Them Softly (2012) or even the two episodes of Mindhunter that he directed. In fact, Below Zero's moody vibe is also comparable to the filmmaking aesthetic of David Fincher - the Mindhunter showrunner who directed gritty, rain-filled dramas like Se7en (1995) and Fight Club (1999).

When Martin's transport vehicle stops in Below Zero , audiences can empathize with his paranoia and sense of uncertainty; it's almost like the prisoners are symbolic of a looming threat in the real world, such as COVID-19, which makes the central protagonist even more relatable. In a clever storytelling twist, the Below Zero filmmakers subvert expectations by re-introducing the opening villain and then challenging the audience to consider the idea that he may not actually be a villain at all. So, Below Zero raises some difficult questions about justice and morality, with the main conflict revolving around Martin's changing perspective.

Below Zero 's immediate success on Netflix is surprising when considering the lack of female characters. The entire main cast consists of men only, with some of the characters telling emotional stories about the women in their lives. In the final act, there's a gruesome display of violence, which will undoubtedly remind some viewers of the brutality in S. Craig Zahler films like Bone Tomahawk (2015) and  Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017). Given that Below Zero features some gnarly, gross-out visuals during the climax, there's probably a word-of-mouth element at play, as streamers are most likely recommending the Netflix film to friends.

Next: Best Movies On Netflix Right Now

Bryan's Magic Lantern Filmhouse

Mostly pithy film/series reviews of netflix and amazon prime, film review “below zero” a.k.a. “bajocero” (2021) #netflixreview #100wordreview.

[ we’re ] parts of an essentially uncaring machine.

Prison Officer Martin (Javier Gutierrez) is driving across country to deliver a batch of prisoners to another facility when, suddenly, him and his partner Montesinos (Isak Ferriz) find themselves under attack by an unknown assailant (Karra Elejalde). Face almost certain death by leaving their armoured vehicle, or remain locked inside as the inmates threaten to riot?

Below Zero is an action-packed crime story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The ending, particularly the last moment where we see Martin look at his locker, brings home how everyone involved — officers and prisoners — are just parts of an essentially uncaring machine.

© 2021-2022 Bryan A. J. Parry

featured image from https://e00-marca.uecdn.es/assets/multimedia/imagenes/2021/02/03/16123551782700.jpg

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Home » Movies » Movie Reviews

Below Zero review – a clear Con Air homage that gets lost in the cold

Con Air is one of my favorite dumb action movies of all time, which I raise because Netflix’s new Spanish action-thriller Below Zero is so clearly inspired by it that it borders on plagiarism. Don’t let me give you the wrong idea, though – it’s nowhere near as good, with a padded runtime, far less memorable characters, and a frigid atmosphere that extends way beyond the freezing climate that threatens the life of copper Martin (Javier Gutiérrez) along with the cons who escape the prison transport bus he’s driving. It does similarly manage to stretch logic to breaking-point, though without the charming personality that made the silliness of Simon West’s enduring dumb-fun classic so tolerable.

You can see it in the setup. Below Zero might have swapped the plane for a bus, instead relying on the environment to create that high-stakes danger, but the early, overly patient sequences are so familiar that you can’t help but notice. Prepping the prisoners for transport serves as a meet-and-greet, and there’s even a beat lifted directly, when a personal possession of a prisoner is taken away by the officers and will surely be returned later, perhaps by force. You get the idea. The assembled madmen are a far cry from Cyrus the Virus and Garland Greene, but one of them is of particular importance to a third-party interloper, given the whole thing a slightly different vibe. That tinge of mystery, though, isn’t enough to sustain an audience through an hour and forty-five minutes that feels longer than that.

Gutiérrez, in the lead, seems to be making a point of cropping up in Spanish Netflix movies; The Occupant and Mirage both featured him, though Below Zero , geared much more to an international audience, might be the role that gives him a bit more Stateside traction. The film’s playing the usual mass-market beats on the way to a relatively perfunctory ending designed not to split opinion; there are bumps on the road along the way, but the film more or less gets where it’s going without much fuss.

Article by Jonathon Wilson

Jonathon is one of the co-founders of Ready Steady Cut and has been an instrumental part of the team since its inception in 2017. Jonathon has remained involved in all aspects of the site’s operation, mainly dedicated to its content output, remaining one of its primary Entertainment writers while also functioning as our dedicated Commissioning Editor, publishing over 6,500 articles.

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Below Zero (2011)

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