See You in Another Life

*"See You in Another Life" (2024) is a chilling and intense exploration of the events surrounding the 2004 Madrid bombings. The film focuses on Baby, a 16-year-old, and Emilio Trashorras, who were involved in transporting explosives, offering a harrowing look into their role in one of Spain's darkest moments. Baby's crucial testimony during the 2007 trial serves as the backbone of the narrative, shedding light on the complexities of guilt, manipulation, and survival. With gripping performances and a stark portrayal of the human cost of terrorism, this film delivers a powerful and emotional retelling of a tragic event.

That's a very well done show. From all points of view. Sure, that is a narative about an event that was terrific and extermely traumatic for Spain and for whole Europe ! And that's exactly the reason why you might need to watch it.

How petty, young deliquents from an unimportant, impoverished province of Spain, came to be sucked within a conspiration with desastrous consequences... The main characters were depicted as well as they could have been, the performance of López and Gutiérrez being exquisite. Their behaviour isn't driven by serious criminal intents or ulterior motives, except that of quick graspimg of some money, and though they're guilty they're also victims of a complex social/economical context. That's an important aspect we should reflect upon, since nowadays, 20 years after, the general situation in Europe seems to be spiralling down towards an even worse conjuncture.

I don't think 6 episodes is too much, as a shorter time would've somehow diminish the understanging of the facts and left parts of the story and of characters' depiction in the dark.

The 2 directors did a verry good job and I didn't find many cuts to be out of scope. Don't expect a Hollywood-like setting, and even you're a native Spanish speaker (especially not from Spain) this could be at times hard to follow because these people (Asturias - Avilés) are speaking fast and with a peculiar accent...But this is a puls in a way, catching the specific of those hombres !

As Episode 1 of "See You In Another Life" (2024 release from Spain; 6 episodes ranging from 33 to 45 minutes each) opens, reference is made to the terrorist attack in Madrid, Spain on March 11, 2004. We then go to "June 12, 2004. Three months after the facts", and we are introduced to a young man named Baby. As he is leaving his parents' house, the Spanish police comes out of nowhere and arrest him. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: as it stands now, this is all I have seen and I don't plan to watch any more of it. Why? Because as it turns out, Hulu is streaming the mini-series from Spain in English. Worse yet, there are no options to switch to the original Spanish version with English subtitles. Why, oh why? I completely understand that some people preferred English dubbed to the original version with subtitles, and good for them. I unfortunately am in the other camp. I simply cannot stand it when you are watching a movie or series that is clearly set in a country where the prevalent language is not English, and then see them "talking" in English.

I hope that this mini-series will show up on another streaming platform where once can make your own choice of which version to watch (dubbed or original).