By TeeJay Small
| Published
Big fans of film and television will recall the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that raged on throughout most of 2023, shutting down productions all over the country. What you may not realize, unless you’ve been tapped into the trade publications, is that Netflix took the strikes as an opportunity to platform a ton of foreign productions, meaning the streamer is now loaded to the gills with new and interesting material from studios beyond Hollywood. One excellent Spanish-language film, titled Nowhere, launched as a Netflix original in September 2023, and has since turned the heads of many film fanatics from across the globe.
Nowhere
For those who haven’t heard of Nowhere on Netflix, the film is a powerful dramatic thriller with an exceptionally limited cast, similar to something like the classic 2000 adventure film Cast Away, or 2012’s Life Of Pi. In Nowhere, a couple named Mia and Nico board a cargo ship headed to Ireland, in order to escape a wide array of untold horrors from their home country.
The film takes place in a dystopian future that saw a global crisis of some sort plunging half of Europe into a dangerous wasteland run by fascists, which causes the couple to fear for the health and safety of their unborn child.
Once they make it on board the cargo ship however, Mia and Nico come to learn that their struggles have only just begun. First, the couple is separated as corrupt military officials sack the crates and attempt to kill numerous stowaways.
Later, a massive storm across the East Atlantic causes the boat to capsize, sending Mia tumbling into the ocean alongside a bunch of random assorted supplies being shipped out of the country. As the narrative of Nowhere on Netflix builds to its terrifying climax, Mia must learn to survive using makeshift tools and items inside her crate, all while being pushed around the middle of nowhere by the ocean’s tides.
Mixed Reactions
Nowhere originally premiered on Netflix in September of 2023, and quickly garnered a mixed response from critics. Today, the film touts a middling 69 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with some viewers arguing that the writing and directing choices are not strong enough to maintain engagement in the film. Despite these reviews, critics seem to unilaterally agree that Anna Castillo’s leading performance as Mia is a high watermark, as most of the narrative hinges on her harrowing journey across uncharted swaths of the ocean.
Streaming On Netflix
Personally, I had never heard of Nowhere until recently, when I was randomly scrolling through the Netflix originals in search of something new and interesting. I’d say that the critics mostly got this one right, as Mia’s journey is the most interesting part of the movie by a long shot, though I do wish we could have seen more of the destroyed remains of Spain in the first act. Any way you slice it, this film is a fun and engaging watch, and at just 109 minutes in runtime, it never feels like it overstays its welcome.
Nowhere is currently streaming on Netflix for those interested in checking it out today.
Leave a Reply