‘El reino‘ is the original title of Spanish director Rodrigo Sorogoyen‘s film, which dominated the Goya Awards ceremony for films made in 2018. The title translates as ‘The Kingdom‘ and I believe that its meaning is important, although it was translated differently (and incorrectly ) in the English-speaking market. We are dealing in this film with the collapse of a kingdom and the disintegration of its moral and legal order. The kingdom is the life and world of Manuel López-Vidal, a corrupt politician from one of Spain’s provinces. ‘El reino‘ is a well-written and interestingly made political thriller, but which seems to lack the ambition to be more than that.
Manuel, the main hero of ‘El reino‘ is a local politicians who seems to have reached success. In public life, he is a municipal councilor and the approvals of important projects financed by European funds depend on him. In his private life he is surrounded by a loving family and friends who seem to belong to the same class, leading a life of luxury: yachts, villa decorated with modern art, elegant restaurants. The whole system seems to belong to him or work in his favor: the municipal officials, the press, the lawyers, the other politicians, they all seem to be beholden to each other. However, when an investigation related to the use of European funds is launched, it is enough for a single crack to appear in this apparently stone-solid edifice (a witness, a recording) for the entire scaffolding to begin to fall apart. Manuel will be abandoned by one after another of his party colleagues, his business associates whom he considered friends turn their backs and do not answer calls, and will also have to send his family abroad to shelter them from the scandal. His ‘kingdom’ collapses within days. Manuel is a fighter, however, and will not hesitate to use any means – relations with television, collaboration with investigators, burglaries to steal documents, blackmailing party bosses – to save something from the fall.
I already saw at work together film director Rodrigo Sorogoyen and actor Antonio de la Torre in their previous film ‘Que dios nos perdone’, an excellent psychological thriller inspired by the life and work of two police investigators. ‘El reino‘ is also a thriller inspired by life in Spain today, but the focus here is on the political aspects. From a cinematographic point of view, the film is very well made. Alejandro de Pablo‘s cinematography, often with the camera on his shoulders behind the hero, walks us through the corridors of political power and of the investigative services buildings, or accompanies Manuel López-Vidal on luxury yachts or in his forays into darker places. Olivier Arson‘s music makes generous use of electronic effects to emphasize moments of tension. Antonio de la Torre is an excellent actor and well for this kind of role. And yet I left the viewing with the feeling that this political thriller could have offered more. Perhaps the problem is the main character who never breaks out of the pattern of a corrupt political scumbag, who when in trouble is capable of anything to save his own skin. Unlike the director’s previous film, the psychological depth and the surprises are missing. I was waiting for some twist that would show us a more human side of the character, remorse, acceptance of responsibility. It’s not happening. Maybe this is how people in this category are in reality. And sometimes in movies too, or at least in this movie.