User reviews

"A Widow's Game" was a compelling watch. As a true-crime enthusiast, I appreciated its deep dive into a real Spanish murder case I knew nothing about.

The actress playing María (Ivana Baquero) delivered a strong performance, skillfully portraying a manipulative character who exploited men's weaknesses in relationships. The film's overall story about manipulation in love was well-told.

My main critique is the lack of chronological clarity at times, which made following the sequence of events a bit challenging. Also, I would have liked to see real footage or photos of the protagonists at the end, which often enhances true-crime adaptations.

Despite these minor points, it's a worthwhile and thought-provoking film, recommended for fans of true crime and psychological thrillers.

They say that truth is stranger than fiction and I think that applies here because if I hadn't known it was a true story I'm not sure I would have believed in it.

The movie follows a police investigation into the murder of a young man in Valencia, Spain. A prime suspect is quickly identified, but the detectives need to surveil and wire tap for some months to gather enough evidence for a conviction, and also to find a suspected accomplice. The film dramatises both the suspects' and the police actions during this period.

This was a very clever script that quickly outlined the basic facts of the case, and then very slowly drew you right into this strange world. You see the story unfold through the eyes of the detectives and as it becomes more and more surprising so the characters become more and more interesting.

The acting was brilliant all round and the film was well paced and nicely photographed. I was riveted by the end and keen to find out more about the true story.

Netflix offers us a surprising offering, based on true events that shook Spain and Europe in 2017, based on Patraix's Black Widow. Directed by Carlos Sedes and starring Ivana Baquero, Carmen Machi, and Tristán Ulloa.

The film offers a powerful true crime thriller that captivates you as we learn about the brutality of the events and the underlying story of its two main perpetrators. The film is further enhanced by the excellent script and the decision to tell us from the perspective of its three protagonists, concluding with the unfolding of the events that saddened all of Spain in 2017.

Carlos Sedes's direction offers no grand extravaganzas, but it does employ an absolute seriousness when confronting the stories and the rawness of his characters. The director's work, rendered with a documentary essence, helps us truly capture the crime in its entirety, and we want to confront the events with complete unease and uncertainty. His leading trio plays an essential role in making everything work smoothly. Machi, Baquero, and Ulloa give their all to their characters, which means we see the true protagonists of reality in the skin of their cast.

Its two-hour running time, which may seem a bit long, really flies by once we're completely hooked on the events and the way it tells us everything behind the horrendous crime. The use of sound and narration are fundamental pillars that make Netflix's offering a pleasant and well-chosen pastime. The streaming platform surprises with a very interesting film that manages to pique our interest thanks to all its virtues and a story that is effective in every aspect, and whose director knows how to handle everything with the necessary caution, so that the necessary fiction never interferes with the reality of a brutal crime.

One of Netflix's pleasant surprises this 2025.

Portraying a true crime on screen is always a dangerous game: either you build an unsustainable-and perhaps insensitive-mystery, or you opt for a cold, factual retelling that too often feels predictable. A Widow's Game doesn't hide its cards: from the very first move, we know who died (the husband), who survived (the widow), and who most likely wielded the knife. The mystery, therefore, isn't the point. Instead, the film is a sequence of well-worn moves, leaving the viewer to decide whether they want to watch the pieces fall or simply confirm that, yes, everything collapsed exactly as expected.

And collapse it did. The protagonist, Maje-practically a black widow lifted from a rushed femme fatale handbook-parades through the story with subtle ambition and calculated hunger, manipulating men like someone changing outfits. The script occasionally seems interested in exploring her erotic, lethal edge, but it quickly retreats to the safety of factual reconstruction: she cheated, she seduced, she planned, she used. There's no room for deep psychological complexity here, just the linear trajectory of a woman who turned desire and survival into a sharpened weapon. Was there a lack of venom? Perhaps. A lack of the hesitation that humanizes-or corrupts-such characters? Undoubtedly.

The film's structure relies on that classic device of starting with the investigation-led by Eva, a detective as tough as she is sharp-only to shuffle between past and present, back and forth, adding no real layers, just reiterating what we already suspect. The narrative is preoccupied with dissecting who was manipulated, who hid what, who stumbled first. Salva, the manipulated man, is one of those who falls headfirst into the widow's web, convinced he can pull a few strings himself. In the end, of course, he's tangled, suffocated, and-ironically-still believing he can outmaneuver the woman who played him.

This double game-he thinks he's manipulating, but she's always two steps ahead-might be the film's only truly compelling dynamic. Not because it's novel, but because of the morbid pleasure in watching the ruin of a man deluded enough to think he could master someone who plays by her own rules. It's in this clash of wills, this push-and-pull of power, that the film briefly comes alive. And yet, when the house of cards finally collapses, the script seems more interested in documenting the fall than in hinting at its cracks. There's no perverse thrill, no mounting suspense-just the inevitable crash, filmed competently but without fire.

In the end, A Widow's Game is more report than reinvention, more chronicle than tragedy. It's efficient, even good-but it lacks the kind of risk that Maje herself embodies and that the film, ironically, refuses to take. What lingers is this feeling: the game was played, the house fell, the pieces scattered-but for the audience, the match ended long before checkmate.

I don't get the rave reviews. It's an ok show to watch while doing something else. However I watched it with full undivided attention. Honestly it's a tad boring. At the end I was like ok that's it? Ok so we are done now? Ok cool.

This is based on a true story but it's a story that's been told a thousand times. I kept waiting for some twist or turn or excitement but nope. Just your regular run of the mill crime. I wouldn't even expect this to be a main plot point in a soap opera. This doesn't bring any intrigue or thrills. Honestly a mediocre true crime podcast is better than this movie.

PROS it's watchable and the acting is good and everyone seemed like real people. This is a breath of fresh air from Hollywood where everyone is great looking and is overly dramatic. CONS you find out pretty early on that the widow is a lying trash person. And soon after you find out everything else. The rest is just watching cops do their job. And it's not thrilling. It's just like ok welp i hope they wrap this up soon cuz I've got bed.

EXTREMELY forgettable, but a decent background movie to have on that doesn't require a lot of attention. Honestly a regular Law and Order SVU episode is leaps and bounds better than this movie. Actually they've showed this plot on THAT show a hundred times but only better.

While scrolling through Netflix, we stumbled upon A Widow's Game, a Spanish true-crime film based on a real case - and let's just say, The Crew had thoughts.

For Winny and Willow, this was a gripping and intense ride. Despite knowing where the story was headed, it still managed to keep them hooked, especially thanks to the strong acting from Carmen Machi and Ivana Baquero. Willow was especially drawn to the chilling portrayal of the manipulative widow - cold, calculating, and unsettlingly real.

Mimikyu pointed out how the cinematography and tone felt clean and appropriate for the story. The pacing worked well, and the film's darker themes around love, trust, and betrayal were delivered thoughtfully. Kuromi and Sunny, both true crime fans, were pretty locked in - the realism, the investigation details, and how manipulation was used as a weapon made this one a solid hit for them.

But not everyone was sold. Amy and Tails felt that while the film looked good, it lacked emotional punch. They wished there had been more focus on the victim's side - more heart, more impact. Sweet, who always catches the small details, found the timeline tricky to follow and thought the movie left too many character motivations under-explored.

In the end, A Widow's Game sparked conversation among us. It's definitely a well-produced and engaging watch for true crime lovers, but for those craving emotional depth or unexpected twists, it might fall a little flat. Still, it's a worthy Netflix pick when you're in the mood for something grounded, psychological, and just a bit chilling.

I watched this movie without knowing it was based on a true crime story.

By the way, the movie has no climax - it seems like from the very beginning you can figure out everything that is going to happen.

You can clearly understand the entire plot by the middle of the movie. So, in the end, I asked myself: what's the real problem with this film? If I stopped watching after the first 20 minutes, I would have already drawn all the conclusions.

The movie also includes some side stories that make no sense, like the detective's child having problems at school, or the policeman's death that has no real connection to the main plot.

Despite all that, I liked the lead detective's performance.

I am Spaniard so I have watched this one without subtitles, what is a plus.

So, If you love Spanish series like "El cuerpo en llamas", A window's game is for you. The movie is amazingly real as cruel the case it is.

First, the case is sad and at the same time makes you think about how cruel a woman can be.

Second, cast is superb. Great acting from Tristan Ulloa and Carmen Machi. Ivana Baquero is great too.

Last, the settings and production are superb. Pretty close to reality. Around 95% of the movie happened. Also the scenarios are real too.

So, overall an ugly crime, but a great movie. I mean, if you love true crime, this one is for you.

A widows game is based on a true story though like some of these films certain aspects are changed to make it more appealing. We start with maje upset then we go back at certain points to see how we got here with police chief eva trying to work it out. Its clear though maje is up to something and never really cared for her husband salvo ever since they married. Its an interesting watch all the way through but unfortunatly we have been here before with films like this. Predictable is the word but I still liked to see how maniplitive maje was. Acting was good and overall its a decent true crime film.

This film is based on a true event, and honestly, nothing about it is surprising. Everything is highly predictable. Maybe I'm old, but I found it ridiculous-despite the involvement of some genuinely good actors. The story itself is just plain stupid. It's hard to believe that people in the real world, even in 2017, could think they could get away with such a crime. I simply cannot comprehend how this was even possible. It's truly frustrating to know that this actually happened. As for the movie itself, it's not great-there's nothing particularly fascinating or memorable about it.

I can't really tell why it has been on my Netflix recommendations. But, I did watch it. It's a great start, and at the end I was expecting a twist because everything was highly predictable. You need to be 12 years old to find it surprising. Good actors, so-so writing. And there was no reason to have a nudity and that too in the middle of the story. What for ?

As "A Widow's Game" (2025 release from Spain; original title "La viuda negra" or "The black widow"; 122 min.) opens, we are reminded that this is "based on true events". It is August 6, 2017" and in a small city south of Valencia, a man's body is discovered, brutally stabbed to death. Eva, a police officer, is assigned to lead the investigation. It's not long before the surviving widow, Maje, is a suspect, even though she has an alibi. At this point we are a good 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: let me state upfront that I had never heard of these facts before. It doesn't take long to get a sense of how this might play out. The movie is brought in 3 chapters, from the perspectives of Eva, Maje and Salve, the latter a possible love interest. Some bits of the chapters overlap on purpose, just to give the different perspectives on the same facts. I quite enjoyed it for what it was, nothing more nothing less. There isn't anything truly shocking or revealing. It a matter of watching these performances play out. The movie benefits a lot from the lead performance by Spanish actress Ivana Baquero (as Maje), always easy on the eye, and perfectly conveying the seduction games played by Maje. Last but not least, I have no idea why the English title of the movie was changed from "The Black Widow" to the bland "A Widow's Game".

"A Widow's Game" started streaming on Netflix some weeks ago, and I just caught it the other night. This movie is currently rated only 42% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which feels low to me. If you are in the mood for a foreign murder mystery drama, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

1/10 stars. I would not recommend but we all have to make mistakes sometimes. Not going to lie. This was not good. Trailer and description made it seem Interesting. Acting and story made it unenjoyable. Normally we don't have a problem with English dubbed films. For the most part it was ok but there are multiple instances where the translation didn't make sense. It was described as a cop solving a case thriller But it should be locked up for catfishing It ended up with us just watching the crimes take place rather than be solved. While based on a true story. I don't think this movie did it justice but rather a disservice. I think it could have been great but it truly missed its mark for me.

We should have turned it off after 10 minutes. But we have been traveling for several months and haven't had a tv on the whole time. So we had a night we wanted to just relax and put this on. It might be 4 months before we turn on the tv again.

Absolutely atrocious dialogue. Really horrible acting. Slow, slow, slow. Anyone who calls this a thriller must be amazed at ice melting.

It's bad enough that the criminals are easily the dumbest in history. If you're going to make a movie about these fools, make it a comedy because THAT would have been worth watching.

Even the brief nudity is hilariously out of place. If you can't do gratuitous nudity right, what can you do?

Netflix's latest true crime production, The Black Widow, revisits the infamous and deeply unsettling "Patraix Crime" - and does so without moral anesthesia or a sentimental gloss. It makes no attempt to redeem, to console, or to wrap the horror in politically correct discourse. What it offers instead is the clinical dissection of a murder, premeditated in cold blood by two functional adults who, in 21st-century Spain, believed they could get away with it.

Unlike many productions in the genre that mask their voyeurism with a supposed aim of "honoring the victims," this film goes straight to the point. We do not see the body. We do not witness the crime. There is no exploitation of grief, no emotional pornography. The victim and his family are respected - truly respected - and the film gains rather than loses by this restraint. The lens turns instead to the perpetrators, exposing something more uncomfortable, more revealing, and more socially valuable: the internal architecture of those who cross the line.

Despite its evocative title, this is not a femme fatale fantasy. It is the real case of María Jesús Moreno Cantó - known as "Maje" - a nurse by profession, and Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra, a hospital technician. Both were arrested on January 12, 2018. A seductive young woman manipulating an older, submissive man into becoming a weapon might sound like a cliché, but it is not. It is an archetype. And archetypes are not inventions of screenwriters - they are patterns of real life, repeated because they work, because they are encoded in our culture, our imagination, and, as Carl Jung would argue, in our collective unconscious.

The most disturbing part is not the crime itself, but its banality. Maje and Salva were convinced they could get away with it. They believed discretion, a sense of moral superiority, or the indifference of those around them would shield them. Pathological ego does not require psychotic delusions to act. It only needs self-indulgence, a functional environment that normalizes transgression, and a generous dose of fantasy. As behavioral neuroscience reminds us, the human brain can justify morally reprehensible actions as long as it sees itself as an exception - or rewrites the ethical script to accommodate its desires.

And this is where The Black Widow excels. There is no sensationalism here. There is anatomy. Not just of the crime, but of the decisions, the rationalizations, the self-deception, and the twisted bond between two people who were not victims of each other, but co-conspirators feeding off their shared delusion.

Ivana Baquero and Tristán Ulloa deliver outstanding performances. She is cold, but never cartoonish. He is pathetic, but recognizably human. The script avoids the easy trap of portraying the killers as inhuman monsters; instead, it shows them for what they are: people. And that is far more terrifying. Because if they are people, then anyone - under the right (or wrong) conditions - could potentially become something similar. That is the truly frightening truth.

For me, the crown jewel is Carmen Machi. In a role stripped of her usual comedic register, she plays the investigator who faces life's harshness head-on and trusts her instincts. Though the character is fictionalized, it stands as a worthy tribute to the real-life police work behind the case - to the kind of investigator who, without epic speeches or spotlight, bears the emotional weight of brutal cases, tracking evidence and confronting institutional fatigue. Machi's performance doesn't rely on grand monologues; it lives in hardened gestures, emotional restraint, and her embodiment of a type of woman fiction often forgets: the resilient professional who carries on simply because she must.

The film's aesthetic choices are also commendable. Carlos Sedes's direction avoids visual sensationalism. There is a clinical cleanliness to the world depicted - hospital corridors, anonymous stairwells, police offices. Everything evokes the banality of evil, to borrow Hannah Arendt's phrase: monstrosity doesn't dwell in gothic castles or dark rituals; it lives in your building's hallway, in the hospital kitchen chat, in a WhatsApp message.

And yes, this too is science. Forensic psychology studies show that the most dangerous criminals are not the cinematic psychopaths, but the functional individuals who integrate their perversion into everyday structures. They are the ones who "don't seem capable of that." The human brain doesn't register danger in those who behave normally - and that is why certain signals go unnoticed: because they do not break the pattern.

Bambú Producciones approaches this story with meticulous care. Eschewing the trap of gory reenactments, they maintain narrative tension by focusing on psychology. Instead of simply recounting what happened, they explore how it could happen, and why the perpetrators convinced themselves that their actions weren't criminal, but justified. This is more than storytelling: it's emotional pedagogy. It teaches how moral self-deception works, and how intimacy can become a stage for domination.

In short, The Black Widow is a resounding success. Not only for its acting and technical quality, but for its ethical stance: it neither glorifies nor trivializes its subjects. It reveals the horror of the ordinary - how easy it is to cross the line when one believes the world owes them something. A work not only to be seen, but to be felt - in the skin, the gut, and, if watched with eyes wide open, in the conscience.

Mediocrity at its best. I tried to develop some interest in this Spanish attempt at True Crime but my attention kept being drawn to the cheeseburger on the paper plate in front of me. Was it too salty?

Oh, it's about a murder. No it's about sex. Whoa, what happened to that detective in the middle of the movie? And why is that key so important? Was that a tribute to Dial M for Murder or not.

Then there were the birds in tight little cages. Did I get the underlying message?

Acting was passable. Dialogue, boring. Story, if you had any emotion at the end you were among a small group of patients.

I think only Netflix has the ability with all its money and all its excess to so many countries talents and this a true life story and COMPLETELY COCK IT UP 👏 10 STARS 🌟 FOR THIS It's all there in the case the twists turns phone calls and yet it misses by a week tbh honest the actors didn't do a bad job they are good enough but it's not enough to bring any tense atmosphere intrigues to light the back story's week there's nothing to get your teeth into just a little more though a better script and some umph yes umph it could have been great but alas it's another nextflix dud never really fires 🔥

At 2h2m, this starts off on the wrong side for me because I know this type of film doesn't merit this much screen time-1h30m is the only acceptable length for such a weak story,

Completely unwatchable from every angle. The pacing was horrible as we jumped from a police investigation with the old gal, to the young protagonist playing a part that was scattered and boring. I lived in Valencia when this happened, although I never heard of it because I don't read the gutter press and don't concern myself with this sort of trash.

Why would any filmmaker thing it would be a good idea to make viewers listen to phone calls?

I can't believe that anyone thought this story worthy of a movie representation.

First of all, I have to admit I'm a huge fan of true crime/murder mystery movies and I accidentally stumbled upon this movie, when I was searching for something to watch in Netflix. Eventually, I decided to watch it and I'm so glad that I did it. The movie synopsis was very interesting, mysterious and it was the first movie I've ever watched about this case. Gladly, the story was well-written, well-explained and it was accurate. Also, the casting choices were nice (even though, I didn't know these actors/actresses) and their performances were incredible. Even though, I knew about how this movie was gonna end, it was still very suspenseful and it wasn't boring, at all. Last but not least, the editing of the movie was nice and the cinematography was well-done. Overall, "A Widow's Game" was a great true crime film, kinda intense, suspenseful and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!

A movie based on true events that has good potential, but from my perspective, it could have been better. Not exploiting that premise and wasting a great opportunity.

"La Viuda Negra" is a film that possesses an atmosphere of intrigue, investigation, a bit of suspense, and a few interesting moments; however, it does not fully shine in all its glory on the great path it had ahead, falling into the conventional and featuring scenes that detract from the experience due to their length. It can be said that 120 minutes is a bit long for a story that could have been shorter and more impactful.

Nevertheless, director Carlos Sedes did an outstanding job with some well-executed shots. Among the performances, Carmen Machi can be mentioned, who delivers a simple yet effective role. On the other hand, Ivana Baquero has her moments where she is somewhat believable due to her change of expressions, but in others, she is not entirely convincing. That is to say, it's good, but it doesn't maintain that quality. All of this without focusing on the actual events.

"La Viuda Negra" in cinematic aspects has a good play with lighting, a narrative plot with potential but little impact, an editing suitable for what the story conveys, some real details, among others.

Without a doubt, it deserved more impact, something that would surprise the viewer and make it stand out. The ending is very weak, flat, and lifeless. It took away a lot from it.

In their reflective messages, I can highlight the main focus, which is manipulation through obsession and innocence, and how many people abuse them for their personal gain. Topics such as karma, infidelity, psychological abuse, personality changes, the limits of humanity due to banality, and many more are also addressed.

Did the movie really need 6 writers? Debatable.

The story is very similar to that of the Civil Guards, the series "Burning body,"="El cuerpo en llamas", also Spanish and happened in the same year. I do recommend this series, by the way.

This film is undoubtedly of much lower quality and more boring simply because it didn't focus on the police search. It starts off well, but halfway through it turns into sex soap and very predictable.

The details of the murder are barely visible and aren't exciting at all. They could have heightened the suspense and the fear in that regard, but instead they focus solely on her, this manipulative witch with her idiot boyfriend. Very idiot!!

A shame, because this true story had potential.