jayjasejason

Well directed, well acted, As always Alejandro Amenábar has done an excellent job.

The story follows Miguel de Unamuno who was the rector of the university Salamanca before the war. As with happens with many intellectuals he was blind to the consequences of what was happening around him.

The dictatorship's rise and time in power is still a hot potato here in Spain. The transition to democracy, though smooth, did not manage to heal the wounds of seventy years of dictatorship.

This story is timeless: we cannot see the reality of something until it is too late. But even if we can, are we able to change things? Or is it the man with the gun and all the bullets that decides who is in the right?

I know this was made from a comic book / graphic novel, which probably is bad for the fans of said novels. However, if you've never read the books you'll probably find the story very relevant to the times we live in. It makes interesting viewing. It's still a little preachy, but there are things that need to be kept on the front page to try and stop them from perpetuating. The writing is quick, interesting and holds a pace. The actors are top-notch. The only problem I have is the very dodgy Karl Urban 'cockney / London' accent. It rolls between a pantomime Ray Winstone and plane Australian. I'm sure they changed other things from the original work, they could just have changed this too. He's a fine actor, he just didn't need to try to do the accent. On the whole this series continues the trend of adding pathos and comedy to the superhero genre: worth watching.