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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you have the patience for black-and-white dramas where people talk a lot about their souls, you might actually like Niebla. If you need a movie to keep you awake with thrills or constant movement, avoid this one at all costs. It feels like watching someone have a long, complicated dream in a language you only half-understand. 🌫️
It’s honestly a bit of a slog, but there's a certain charm to how stiff and dramatic everyone acts. It reminded me a little of the pacing in Murder on the Roof, though with way less crime and way more staring into the distance.
There is a specific scene where someone just stands by a window for what felt like a full minute, and honestly? I loved it. It’s not 'good' filmmaking in the technical sense, but it’s human. It’s the kind of choice that makes you wonder if the director just forgot to yell 'cut' or if they were trying to make a point about loneliness.
The dialogue is thick. It’s not the snappy, quick stuff we see in modern movies, but rather these long, winding speeches that hit you like a wave. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it just makes you want to check your phone, but I stayed with it.
It isn't a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it's quite lopsided. The middle act drags so much that I started counting the patterns on the wallpaper in the background. But then, right when you’re about to quit, someone says something so bleak and honest that you’re pulled right back in.
I’m not saying this is a masterpiece. I’m just saying it stuck to my ribs. It feels like it was made in a completely different universe. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you want to watch something that feels like it’s slowly unraveling, give it a shot. Just maybe have a coffee handy first. ☕