Marshland

Set in the wetlands of Andalucia, Spain, circa 1980 (during a delicate transfer of power in that country from military dictatorship to democracy), director Alberto Rodriguez's Marshland is a gripping and intelligent mystery-thriller about two Madrid cops hunting for a serial killer. In the best noir tradition, the story features layers of discovery and tension, not least between the heroes themselves. Juan (Javier Gutiérrez) is the older of the partners, with a shrouded past in Franco's government security forces. Pedro (Raul Arevalo) is a rookie idealist with a pregnant wife and a propensity for being publicly critical of authorities. The two have to set aside their differences to investigate the torture-murders of two teen sisters, a mission impeded by local resistance to their presence. The case itself becomes as complex and winding as the titular land-and-river system in the region, which is as important as the characters. An engrossing and sharp-edged police-procedural—which swept the Goya awards (Spain's equivalent of the Oscar)—this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)