I know films are not supposed to mirror reality, just build one in which you can spend 90 minutes believing a story. Still I find completely impossible to follow this one to the end without laughing at his crude script tricks, absurd subplots and unbelievable characters. It is not that it doesn't mate with the Spanish reality, it doesn't even follow the logic it sets at the beginning, which makes it unbelievable. I would even dare to say it's a personal trait of its scriptwriter, as it happens in most of his films. The main character is an evil man who can lead a prison revolt, yet is incapable of following trough or make anything of the traitor that is boycotting him. Then he dies, shot in his back in the final 10 minutes so that we can sympathize with him. All the rest of the characters are simplistic, one dimensional, exist only when the writer needs them, then disappear without any reason. I can't really understand why it has been so successful considering its merits, an i would attribute that to the efficient work of its director, who keeps the roller coaster ride at a good pace and specially, to the brilliant work of the two protagonists, whose charisma makes up for all the failings of their characters.