El mal

This article is about the 2025 film. For the 1966 film, see Rage (1966 film). For the song, see El Mal.
El mal
Film poster
Directed byJuanma Bajo Ulloa
Screenplay byJuanma Bajo Ulloa
Starring
CinematographyDiego Trenas
Edited byÁlvaro Herrero
Music byKoldo Uriarte
Production
companies
  • Frágil Zinema
  • El mal la película AIE
Distributed by39 Escalones Films
Release dates
  • November 2025 (2025-11) (Mar del Plata)
  • 16 January 2026 (2026-01-16) (Spain)
Running time
129 minutes
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish

El mal is a 2025 Spanish thriller film written and directed by Juanma Bajo Ulloa. It stars Belén Fabra, Natalia Tena, and Tony Dalton.

Plot

The plot follows writer Elvira, who is approached by serial killer Martín to write about them, prompting her to question her own ethics.[1]

Cast

Production

According to Bajo Ulloa, the first draft for the story dated from 2006.[5] In 2011, the project received a €40,000 funding for development.[6] In 2020, RTVE purchased rights to the film for €700,000.[6] It was also acquired by EiTB.[6] The film was shot in late 2024 in Álava.[7] The film is a Frágil Zinema and El mal la película AIE production.[1]

Release

El mal premiered at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, included within the 'Hora Cero' programming.[8] The film was released theatrically in Spain on 16 January 2026.[9]

In February 2026, Bajo Ulloa attended the Iker Jiménez-hosted television show Horizonte and claimed that his film was a victim of the "woke dictatorship".[6] The statements were hailed in right-wing media.[6] At that point, the film had grossed €22,907.[6]

Reception

Pablo Vázquez of Fotogramas rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as "decidedly misanthropic, twisted and autarkic", highlighting "its incorruptible suicidal soul and an imperial Belén Fabra" as the best things about it.[10]

Carmen L. Lobo of La Razón gave the film a 3-star rating, singling out "its claustrophobic atmosphere" and the fact that "it is not politically correct" as the best things about the film, while resenting "several bits of dialogue that sound repetitive and a bit pompous".[4]

Juanma González of Cinemanía rated the film 3½ out of 5 stars, declaring it "a fable about narcissism that does not give a hoot about anything and lacks any sense of the ridiculous".[11]

In a 2-star rating, Manuel J. Lombardo of Diario de Sevilla observed that the film may be interesting "not so much as a reflection on the lack of empathy, but rather as an exercise in style".[12]

Javier Ocaña of El País assessed that, as in Butterfly Wings, El mal displays "the audacity of one who owes nothing to anyone and is unbothered by moral constraints".[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sánchez-Sequera, Marco (13 January 2026). "'El mal' – estreno en cines 16 de enero". Audiovisual45.
  2. ^ a b Sardá, Juan (16 January 2026). "Juanma Bajo Ulloa estrena 'El mal': "El terror es muy cinematográfico y la vía más directa para explorar el alma"". El Cultural – via El Español.
  3. ^ a b c d Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (12 January 2026). "Los estrenos del 16 de enero. 'El mal'. Éxito sangriento". Aisge.
  4. ^ a b Lobo, Carmen L. (16 January 2026). "Crítica de "El mal": yo sí que soy una asesina ★★★". La Razón.
  5. ^ Martínez, Beatriz (19 January 2026). "Juanma Bajo Ulloa, director de 'El mal': "La industria no me echa de menos. Los granos en el culo no son bienvenidos"". Infobae.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Zurro, Javier (23 February 2026). "Todas las mentiras de Juanma Bajo Ulloa a Iker Jiménez sobre el cine español y lo que olvida: su película recibió 700.000 euros de RTVE". eldiario.es.
  7. ^ González, Carlos (19 December 2025). "'El mal', la nueva película de Juanma Bajo Ulloa, se estrenará el 16 de enero". Noticias de Álava.
  8. ^ "Juanma Bajo Ulloa: "Las cosas reales se fundamentan en la oscuridad, como las fotografías" analógicas". La Capital. 13 November 2025.
  9. ^ Belategui, Oskar (25 February 2026). "Iker y Bajo Ulloa". Diario Vasco. Grupo Vocento.
  10. ^ Vázquez, Pablo (18 January 2026). ""El tipo de película que jamás construiría una IA": El retorcido thriller español que confirma el regreso del director de 'Airbag', Juanma Bajo Ulloa". Fotogramas.
  11. ^ González, Juanma (14 January 2026). "Crítica de 'El mal': vitriolo e incorrección de Juanma Bajo Ulloa en un thriller metafórico e incómodo". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
  12. ^ Lombardo, Manuel J. (16 January 2026). "La escritora y la asesina". Diario de Sevilla. Grupo Joly.
  13. ^ Ocaña, Javier (16 January 2026). "'El mal': Bajo Ulloa regresa a sus poderosos cuentos terribles de mariposas y cucarachas". El País.


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