Nine Bodies in A Mexican Morgue

Okay. So maybe I am just good at guessing twists in mysteries but I figured this out and knew who the killer was by the fourth or fifth episode. I was just waiting for the finale for it to unveil the way I guessed. It did lead to quite a letdown. I'm not sure if other people guessed what was going on but it took away from the enjoyment for me. There were so many plot holes and unrealistic situations that it became quite ludicrous. The acting was hit or miss, the script not that great. I liked that it was only 6 episodes as any more it would have dragged. I liked the mystery aspect of it but again the reveal was disappointing since I figured it out earlier on.

"Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue" hooks you with the title - sharp, ominous, impossible to ignore - and if you're the kind who leans into a mystery, it promises more than it delivers. The opening plane crash sets the tone, not in suspense, but in budget. It looks patched together, more green screen than grit. And once the survivors stagger into view, the illusion doesn't hold. The jungle feels like a stage. The stakes feel staged, too.

The characters aren't written - they're sketched. Loud types, hollow arcs, the kind you meet once and forget twice. And still, you hang in, maybe because of Peter Gadiot and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson - two actors who know how to hold a scene, even when the writing gives them nothing but clichés to chew on. They show up. The script doesn't.

By the time the story wraps up and slides toward its twisty, slightly unhinged finish, you're not gripped - but you're not checking out either. There's enough absurdity, enough sudden turns, that you don't need to pay close attention to stay mildly entertained.

It's a mess, but a watchable one. And sometimes, that's enough.

"Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue" is a gripping mystery thriller that blends suspense, tension, and a chilling atmosphere to great effect. Set in a hauntingly isolated morgue, the story unfolds through layered narratives that keep the viewer guessing. The film excels in building psychological pressure, with sharp direction and a script that reveals just enough at each turn. The cast delivers convincing performances that enhance the eerie realism of the plot. With strong pacing and unsettling visuals, it's a cleverly constructed story that explores truth, secrets, and the fragility of perception. A tense and engaging watch from start to finish.

If I'm going to make a series with Spanish speakers, they should speak Spanish. It's a shame that two of the characters who should speak Spanish barely babble it, which is really offensive to those of us who are bilingual and respect their language and expect them to respect ours. Aside from that, the scriptwriter's "idea" was apparently INSPIRED by an Agatha Christie book that was also a film, which is disappointing. I only saw the first chapter and I was outraged by the above mentioned, the cast is normal, highlighting Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Icelandic actor, star of Trapped) and of course Eric McCormack, I don't know the rest of the cast.

I had never heard of this series, nor seen any trailers for it. I didn't even read the synopsis, the name was intriguing enough to get me to watch the first episode and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Can't really make critical judgements after just 1 episode, but it does a good enough job of making me want to watch the next one.

The camera work is good, beautiful vistas, and the actors all seem to give off the intended vibe for their respective characters, although the writers get a little too cliche with the "fat American couple". I mean c'mon, would that "type" really be visiting Guatemala? Unlikely. The tension between the survivors seems to be just enough to be believable without anyone going off the rails or doing something incredibly stupid (yet). You don't need unnecessary over-the-top drama to make something intriguing. A slow build up can be more satisfying.

I'm glad they don't give away too much of the story up front, I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.