The film noir had its height in the mid-century, and shortly revived in the 1970s anti-system surge of independent young filmmakers, where they delivered perhaps the most defining film of the genre: Chinatown (1974). Since then, the genre has fallen off the wayside. Yet over in Spain, the Andalusian filmmaker Alberto Rodriguez has steadily kept the genre alive with a mixture of grittiness and minimalism. His newest is Los Tigres (2025), his best since Marshland (2014).
Los Tigres follows the sibling duo of Antonio (Antonio de la Torre) and Estrella (Barabara Lennie), who are veteran divers and work for the petrochemical port in the city of Huelva. On the frequent inspections of docked and refueling ships, Antonio has learned to identify the vessels, which transport illicit drugs hidden in their hull. Usually turning a blind eye, when a lack of funds and health problem threatens Antonio's ability to see his two daughters, the sibling duo will risk messing with the criminal underworld to some of the drugs for money.
Rodriguez brings a characteristic no-nonsense realism that is brooding yet also inserts his Andalusian humor. This helps mix the gritty narrative with an added depth and endearing of the maintenance diving crew. Yet, it is in the focus of the sibling relationship that Rodriguez delivers his most emotionally rewarding relationship. Rodriguez and frequent co-writer Rafael Cobos have centered most of their films on a duo. This has usually been two men, generally co-workers. Adding the female dimension of Estrella in Los Tigres and the dynamic of siblings allows Rodriguez to explore unconditional loyalty in a new way.
I had the pleasure of actually working on one of Rodriguez's films, as a menial intern on Smoke & Mirrors (2016). It was there that I got to witness his approach to tone and style. His most frequent note to his actors was "smaller." You sense that in Los Tigres as well, where the narrative and relationships are ruled more by small gestures and sighs than grandiloquent actions and speeches. In fact, Los Tigres employs such a comprehensive non-verbal cinematic language, that one would grasp the entire narrative and dramatic beats with the sound muted, the dialogue is almost a background environmental noise.
Rodriguez gives himself an added challenge of having most of his "action" and high stakes happen underwater. Paired with cinematographer Pau Esteve Birba, Los Tigres delivers an astounding visual marvel underwater, making one feel the yawning expanse of the sea, yet also shiver with the contradictory claustrophobia it transmits. It is in the dark depths of the sea that Rodriguez and Esteve Birba play best with light and tension, delivering some of the most silent and stressful scenes in the film.
Los Tigres works well as a crime thriller, yet the central relationship of Antonio and Estrella is the core tenet of the film, and one brought to life beautifully by de la Torre and Lennie. De la Torre, one of the most prolific and talented actors working in Spain today, is brilliant as the gruff yet goofy Antonio, showing his deteriorating physique and desperation as they build up inside him. Lennie has the less showy role, yet delivers one of her best performances of her career as the reserved Estrella. Hers is a role that is a stewing storm of regret, love, and want that she never lets burst forth, yet we see frothing beneath the surface. Rodriguez brilliantly uses his minimalism to great effect in showcasing their unconditional love for one another, not through showy actions, but through small gestures; such as a driving Estrella lowering the car blind when she sees her brother fall in the passenger seat, or a lingering shot of the siblings' hands holding each other in a moment of fear.
In the end, Los Tigres is another gripping thriller from Rodriguez, which proves one of his most emotionally affecting yet as he delivers a sibling love story with his characteristic restrained approach. The finale does go a bit overboard, as the challenges our protagonists face seem to top one another in a barrage rapid-fire. It stretches the believability and schadenfreude of how much roadblocks the siblings encounter, yet this doesn't rob the film of its emotional heft or its affecting tension. Los Tigres continues to demonstrate that Rodriguez is one of the singular directors producing gripping and involving noirs today.
