Cell 211

Inside a crammed maximum security prison, a long simmering riot explodes into a full scale rebellion led by a wily inmate, Malamadre. A junior guard named Juan Oliver is assigned to transfer a high risk prisoner but is swept into the uprising when the prison goes out of control. To survive, Oliver pretends to be a convict and hides among the inmates, navigating shifting loyalties, brutal power plays, and the claustrophobic pressure of the riot. The story follows both sides in close quarters, letting the audience feel every claustrophobic beat, every tense confrontation, and the high risk of exposure as the lines between guard and inmate blur.

Directed by Daniel Monzón, Cell 211 arrived in 2009 as a compact Spanish action thriller built from an original screenplay by Francisco Perez Gandul and Jorge Guerricaechevarría.

Cell 211 earned 19,300,483 worldwide against a 5,700,000 budget, marking a healthy return and helping establish its international profile for a Spanish genre film.

Critics highlighted Luis Tosar's chilling performance as the riot's mastermind and Alberto Ammann's portrayal of the terrified rookie, delivering a claustrophobic tension that critics still reference. The film helped raise the profile of Spanish thrillers abroad and spawned discussions about political power inside prisons.

Reception was largely positive, with praise for the tight direction, tense pace, and strong performances that bring moral ambiguity to the fore. The film probes power dynamics, loyalty and survival under pressure, and asks how far a person will bend to stay alive.