The movie The Bar, or if referred to by its original title El Bar, is a dark, suspenseful and violent film. However, there is more to it than that. The movie is also thought-provoking and humorous. The story begins in downtown Madrid, where a group of strangers find themselves trapped in a bar after two men are shot exiting the building and they determine that they will also die if they try to leave. As tensions rise and panic ensues, they must take extreme measures and make sacrifices in order to escape and survive. The movie is set in modern day Madrid, being released in 2017. During this time, the Ebola Virus, a central theme in the movie was still quite prevalent. Similarly, distrust of law enforcement and fear of terrorism were both present as well, and are each reflected in the plot of the film. Lastly, there is the theme of economic inequality, with some of the characters being homeless, while others are evidently very affluent, which furthers existing difficulties between the characters.
The lighting in the film is quite dark, washed and overall lacks vibrant colors, adding to the uneasiness of the plotline. The music also adds to the suspense, as it does in most thrillers. While there are clearly quite a few important themes throughout the movie, yet the violence and thriller aspects often overpowered the deeper messages. For example, one of the characters is a drunk, homeless man who is constantly reciting bible verses and thus, appears not in the right mind from the beginning. During the movie, he addresses wealth disparity, yet by the end, has become so violent and deranged that his previous, very valid points are easy to forget.
However, that being said, the movie is entertaining and if one watches closely enough, can give the audience some worthwhile takeaways. Similarly, it seems like an extremely relevant movie for the current state of our world, as a large portion of the plot is propelled by a fear of pandemics. In times like this, it is important to recognize how fear and circumstances affect our own actions, as well as the actions of others. Let us hope that the government does not start killing civilians they suspect to be infected with COVID-19.