XTREMO

Spain, 2021, 111 minutes, Colour.

Teo Garcia, Oscar Jaenada, Oscar Casas, Andrea Duro.

Directed by Daniel Benmayor.

The title does not lie. For those who want an action film in a gangster context, no holds barred, then this is a Spanish offering from Barcelona. The idea for the film (not particularly original in terms of gangster warfare, violence and betrayals, drug dealing) came from its star, Teo Garcia, who also managed all the choreography of the many fights.

On the narrative level, it is straightforward. There is an organisation, international drug dealing, The Conclave. One of the members of the Conclave, Lucero, wants to take over, arranges a meeting where he kills the head of the Conclave, fights with the loyal member of the Conclave, Max, using his henchman, FinIto, who sets fire to Max’s building but the daughter of the murdered head, Maria, saves him. He lives as a recluse, grieving the murder of his son. He collaborates with Maria and a plan to take down Lucero, she financing a huge headquarters of surveillance screens to plan moves.

There is a subplot about a young drug dealer, Leo, who was supporting his mother and younger brother, stealing from the drug money. He is ordered to sell drugs outside a Russian bar in Barcelona and is beaten up. His contact orders him to go back again, realises that Leo has been skimming and beat him up as well – with Max stepping in, remembering his own son, saving Leo.

The film builds up to a confrontation between Max and Lucero, threats to Leo, Maria becoming involved – she also a martial arts fighter, trained by Max.

So, for fan interest, it is particularly the choreography of the many, many fights. There is also some brutality but most would be interested in the way the fights work out. It is interesting to note that Max is severely wounded in many of the fights, hospitalised, tended to by Maria. And, in fact, he seemed to be down and out in the final confrontation but makes a move, Maria fighting FinIto and then, as is asked of victims, “wounds to head or heart”, the Lucero stabbed by Max and Maria – both.

The Spanish cinema has been building up its presentation of criminal violence, rivalling some of the American equivalents.