Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Cell 211 has some refreshingly genuine unexpected twists and developments that keep you pretty much hooked, from its opening scene to its conclusion. Seen it 5 years back. Saw it again last week. The action starts immediately and the characters are build through out the movie. There are a few flashbacks. Luis Tosar (Sleep tight, Miami vice) as the leading prisoner is just amazing, his voice is so deep. The lead actor Alberto Ammann acted well. This thriller is so intense, but without blood or extremely violent scenes. It has good dialogs, non predictable climax, its actually quite different. The whole movie is intense, there is no time for to be bored. The acting is good, direction by Daniel Monzón (The Kovak Box) is good, editing was perfect.

Cell 211 tells you a gripping tale of how a new prison guard, Juan Oliver, gets thrown in the front line of two warring philosophies: government officials trying to keep peace and order against mistreated inmates with nothing left to lose but their time in jail. What started out as a day for Juan Oliver (Alberto Ammann) to make an impression at his new job became a matter of life and death in a den full of savage criminals. Will he ever make it out alive and see his pregnant wife, Elena? Notorious prison war leader Malamadre, translates as "Bad Mother" in English, starts the revolution as he successfully takes the keys from an unknowing guard, freeing all the prisoners on the block. Juan's first day at work is supposed to be for tomorrow but he went an unlucky day ahead for a tour. This ends up with him getting injured from falling concrete while the prisoners take over. Left by the guards in the infamous Cell 211, Juan realizes his situation and the adrenaline for survival kicks in. When discovered and taken out to meet Malamadre, Juan lies and makes the inmates believe that he is but another criminal serving time.Quick-witted and smart, Juan navigates his way into unknown territory playing on the side of the prisoners as they turn the crisis into a hostage situation. The cell block holds members of the 'terrorist' group ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) and Malamadre uses this opportunity as a means for bargain. This brings the crisis to national attention instead of a localized one and the media experiences a blackout from what is truly happening inside the prison.Juan Oliver has to prove his worth as a new part of the group while posing undercover and trying to get his chance to escape. But he can't do this if he has Apache (Carlos Bardem), a snitch, watching his back all the time. How long can Juan keep his secret amidst a sea of the country's most wanted criminals? Let's just say, he knows how to deal with danger very well, having been in odd jobs before landing the prison route.Sharp, intense, and suspenseful, Cell 211 will keep you at the edge of your seat while making you cringe on specific gruesome scenes. It doesn't shy away from obvious character development ad consistency as you continue to root for Oliver and his attempts to free himself from the testosterone filled atmosphere. While focused on the thrilling and suffocating scenario, the flick also tackles the idea of trust and friendship. As the situation gets out of hand, a newly formed alliance is tested as Juan begins to question which side he is really on.Versatile actor Luis Tosar cements his reputation in this high-tension flick, playing the vicious yet sarcastic skinhead Malamadre. He has the ability to display several shades of his character in one scene through gestures and delivery of lines. Newcomer Alberto Ammann does not disappoint as he is able to take on the panic of being stuck in a life-threatening situation onto the screen. Marta Etura's presence increases the drama and tension of film, earning her a win for Best Supporting Actress. Based on their performances in the film, it is no doubt that the flick is deserving of its 8 wins in the Goya Awards (the Spanish version of the Oscars). Director Daniel Monzón has created a film that is sure to leave a lasting impression. I am eager to see more films from him in the future.Cell 211 is a highly suspenseful, Stockholm Syndrome inducing prison drama that will keep you juggling sides with what is LEGAL and what is RIGHT.

I have to admit that I am an American that loves films and increasingly the best females I've seen over the last decade or so have mostly been NON-American films. This film was great in so many ways. It was captivating from the opening scene and gave me a ride on the emotional train. I had hoped for a different ending for the protagonist...down to the last few minutes but it was not to be and the reveal in the cell (what he wrote on the wall) revealed so much. This was a really good film with more than it's share of powerful moments. There were also some important political leanings in the film that I'd imagine speaks to the heart of prison conditions all over the world. Sadness, hope, despair, moments of joy and bliss, this movie had everything you could ask for. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

Cell 211 is a movie about a soon to be prison guard named Juan who becomes trapped inside a prison when a riot breaks out. He lies about his real identity and soon becomes best friends with the prisons tough guy. The movie is full with clichés and is often too far fetched. Juan seems to know everything and says all the right things at the right time, which becomes really annoying at one point. His girlfriend is pregnant (extra drama), and her parts in the movie are just horrible. Why the F does a pregnant girl attend a demonstration? And of course she gets hit, and of course it's one of the guards that beats her and of course this gets taped with his face clearly shown, and of course one of the prisoners gets this video on a mobile phone and shows this to Juan. I mean jeez... I could go on, there are many other situation which are so bad, so I was really surprised to see that this movie got a 7,6 rating (at the time of writing this). Oke it's not all bad, Juan's acting was pretty good and some parts were really suspenseful. I liked the first part were it was dubious if the prisoners would believe Juan's story - which was a turning point in the movie.Although I like prison movies, this is a very forgettable one and I would not recommend it to my friends. Too bad, I went in with high expectations (maybe this was the problem).