SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Leofwine_draca EL NINO is a flawed Spanish thriller from expert director Daniel Monzon (THE KOVAK BOX) who creates a stylish and fine-looking movie saddled with, unfortunately, a somewhat meandering and overlong plot. The narrative clocks in at around two hours and fifteen minutes in length, but at least forty-five minutes of that running time could readily have been excised in order to make a better paced, more exciting film.The setting is Gibraltar, which looks exceptionally beautiful thanks to the cinematography, and the subject is the drug smuggling route to Morocco and back. There's a tableau of characters, the best of whom are the investigating drug agents led by Luis Tosar (SLEEP TIGHT), but the bad news is that they're off-screen for long stretches of time, leaving the film in the hands of a less experienced cast. Instead we follow youthful drug smuggler Nino and his attempts to make a fortune from the trade.The problem the film has is that Nino just isn't a very interesting character and the guy playing him is a bit wooden. He's very self-centred and out for what he can get, and the actor just doesn't have the charisma to make him likable at all. A romantic sub-plot between him and a Moroccan girl is almost unwatchable, it's so dull. Monzon does shoot a handful of chase scenes typically involving boats and helicopters which are expertly done, so it's a shame he couldn't focus more on the thrills rather than the padding; if he'd done so then EL NINO was shaping up to be a minor classic of its genre. As it stands, it's just average.

Tom Dooley El Nino lives in La Linea just outside the Rock of Gibraltar; he earns a meagre living repairing other peoples' luxury boats. One night his best mate Compi talks him into doing something to earn a bit of extra cash and he introduces him to Halil. Hali's uncle, Rashid, is a big time drug smuggler and he uses the short route across the straits of Gibraltar to get the drugs across from Africa. El Nino and co are soon put to work dodging the cops on the dangerous run.We also have the police in the shape of duo Jesus and Alma who have been after these guys for two years. They have been focusing on El Ingles (Ian McShane) who operates on UK territory from the Rock and is outside their jurisdiction. But the drug guys have more cash than is decent and are allegedly bribing the cops to get the job done - badly. We also have the affairs of the heart that are at the centre of the main protagonist's lives and more than a fair dose of action. This is not high octane but it is full of thrills and at a run time that exceeds two hours it is impressive that I was kept hooked until the very end.This is from director Daniel Monzon who also brought us 'Cell 211' which was rather good too. If he keeps up the quality with films like this then I think he will have a very bright future. In Spanish with some English and with good sub titles - this is one for those who like a bit of action but also a good helping of well construed plot to accompany the thrills.

peter-eldon When the wickedest pair of eye brows meets the coolest set of starring ice cold eyes in film history your up for one hell of a Spanish drug duel in this Spanish speaking action drama by Director and Writer Daniel Monzón. With the beautiful scenes of Gibraltar and Morocco in the background, some really well shot and cool actions scenes with a tricky helicopter high speed boat chase and an awesome car pursuit through the city and beaches you sure got everything you need for speed. A Spanish story about love, loyalty, dreams, ambition and the way the world works all packed in a strained and brutal ongoing drug trade between Gibraltar and Morocco!/ Peter A Eldon. 2014-11-12.

abisio El Nino (the Kid) is another European thriller was directed by Daniel Monzon whose lately delivered the excellent CELL 211 (winner of the Spanish Goyas; equivalent to the Oscars) and the very solid THE KOVAK BOX. Comparing his previous efforts; t is easy to realize that he growing as a director in every movie.As in the previous movies; character development and social aspects; are more important than empty action; violence or special effects.Everything happens around the Strait Of Gibraltar; a narrow strait (9 miles) that separates, several cultures; Morocco, Ceuta (Spain) and Gibraltar (controlled by the British). The place is the used by to traffic Hashish (and harder drugs) to Europe. Several characters cross paths; El Nino (an extreme, no fear boat mechanic and driver played by first time actor Jesús Castro) and his friend El Compi (Jesús Carroza; really funny and likable ) team up with Halil (Saed Chatiby another first timer; also very funny, likable and with a very interesting acting rage ) and start moving hashish from Morocco to Spain.None of them are really criminals; just young people living on the Spanish crisis or Morocco misery trying to make some money to solve their own miseries.On the other side; Jesus (Luis Tosar) obsessed to catch a British drug dealer who is always ahead of him and is destroying his career and reputation. He and his best mate Sergio (another outstanding work from Eduard Fernandez) are assigned to flight every day on an helicopter to catch speed boats crossing the strait.Monzon keeps the character pretty realistic. The young criminal are far from experienced but feel nobody will catch them; and the cops do not risk their lives too much (as an American movies). They are just underpaid government employees. Corruption is everywhere and they have no means to do anything.There is not a lot of action or violence in the movie; but the few sequences are really very good. The first boat chase; builds tension and suspense; but the second; is perfectly crafted; none of them seems to be just digital post production.As good as the acting, environment and setup; the movie loses points in because an excessive length (2h 10 minutes) and the limited acting skills of Jesus Franco. The guy is fine and is able to carry the movie but a little more rage could have helped the character.In brief; a very solid thriller; that requires certain knowledge of that part of the world but pretty atypical