Morgue-Gauge

Sometimes a ‘From the Producers of’ label found during a trailer (or slapped across a DVD or Blu-Ray) can be a very misleading thing, yet, in this case, it is wholly justified. One of the most intense, dark, and intriguing groupings of mystery/thrillers (with horror elements) to come out over the past twenty years are three Spanish language films, all starring Belén Rueda. Starting with the most well known, 2007’s The Orphanage, it was then followed by 2010’s Julia’s Eyes, this Producers’ trilogy closing with 2012’s The Body (reviewed here today. . . write-ups on the other two can also be found on Filmizon.com).

Co-written and directed by Oriol Paulo, he sets his story (for the most part) in a most disturbing place – the morgue. On this dark stormy evening, we find the night guardsman fleeing the remote locale with a fear that can only be described as primordial (akin to seeing a ghost). . . he is soon after struck by a car (leaving him in a coma). A most unusual case (there is a body missing from the morgue), the police call in tortured detective Jaime Peña (Jose Coronado). . . a man who has had a traumatic past. It just so happens that today is the tenth anniversary of his wife’s death, something that has caused a rift between he and his daughter – he has just returned from visiting her in Germany to try to mend things (meaning that he is on zero sleep and has more caffeine in his system than an overworked truck driver).

The missing corpse is that of a wealthy businesswoman, Mayka Villaverde (Rueda) – who supposedly died of a heart attack earlier that day. With no clues that lead in any specific direction, the detective starts to question those who saw her last. . . especially the newly widowed Álex Ulloa (Hugo Silva).

Despite having little evidence, Álex is Peña’s number one suspect. . . and, as a viewer, it is completely understandable, as we know that he has a mistress that has yet to be discovered, Carla (Aura Garrido), as well as many other secrets. Yet there are many other possibilities as well. . . Álex believes that this is all a ruse by his wife (who might have discovered his past and present indiscretions – as all of the loose clues leading his way seem very personal).

A story best experienced firsthand, that is about all I’m going to say plot wise. One of the better thriller scripts you’ll find, it keeps the viewer guessing. . . twist after twist leading to a fantastically sadistic ending that, in retrospect, is played fair – the clues are all there. Despite the rather intimate cast (there are a few other players, but all the main ones are listed above), you can never be sure if the lying cheat is actually pulling all the strings, or whether his wife is actually the power player. While the other, more minor characters are equally as shady. . . could they be red herrings, or something more illusive?

Matching his narrative with an unnerving setting, Paulo’s offbeat edifice is something to behold. An insanely sanitary morgue with a missing body (that could, in fact, still be alive), this one room is ensconced within an aged building with less than modern (or clean) bathrooms, dated offices, and austere foyer. . . expect the security cameras to fail, the fuses to be faulty, the security to be less than stellar, and the location to hold other dark hidey holes or secrets somewhere on its many floors.

Proving that you can’t beat a good story, in just a few short years The Body has already been remade three times (in India twice, once in 2016 and 2019 respectively, as well as in 2018 in South Korea), while there is word of an American version coming in the near future. Featuring more twists than a supersized freeway and its roundabouts, fantastic performances (you can feel every minute emotion – the players selling each unexpected ebb and flow), moody atmosphere, and everything in between, the ending is sure to give you the chills. So, experience each and every frame in this feature (and beware of everything that lies just outside it), let’s just hope it doesn’t bring with it any undue stress on your heart.

This film is in Spanish with English subtitles