Firebreak – Movie Review | Netflix (3/5)

FIREBREAK on Netflix is a thriller mystery from Spain (org. title: Cortafuego) with a story that includes a roaring wildfire and a child disappearance. More than anything, this plays out like a very intense psychological thriller. The runtime of around 100 minutes (excluding credits) works very well for it. Read our full Firebreak movie review here!

FIREBREAK is a Netflix thriller from Spain (org. title: Cortafuego). The cast is fairly small, but the story still manages to expand and evolve in many different ways over the course of just a few hours. A few hours of storyline, not runtime. The official runtime is 1 hour and 47 minutes.

From the very beginning, we’re landing in the middle of a family tragedy, but things are about to get much worse. And extremely intense. The intensity includes a little too much handheld camerawork for my liking, but I do understand the intended impact. It didn’t ruin anything for me, but it didn’t help it either.

Continue reading our Firebreak movie review below. Find it on Netflix from February 20, 2026.

Tragedy meets fire

In Firebreak, we meet a family in the middle of a mourning period. It’s still fairly soon after the death of her husband, when Mara (Belén Cuesta) heads out to the family’s cabin in the woods (oh yeah) to get it ready for a quick sale. Her emotions are still very raw, and there are areas she doesn’t feel comfortable going to in this second home that was otherwise a refuge for them.

Along with her on this trip are her young daughter Lide (Candela Martínez), her brother-in-law Luis (Joaquín Furriel), his wife Elena (Diana Gómez), and their son (Mika Arias). This trip was means to be a fairly quick farewell, to help Mara move on, and the family is doing their best to help and support her. It’s very heartwarming to see.

Unfortunately, what should have been a mandatory task to be done, turns into a nightmare. After an argument between Mara and young Lide, the young Lide vanishes into the woods without a trace. This is bad enough on its own, but then an uncontrollable wildfire breaks out in the area.

Very soon after beginning the search for Lide, the authorities have to suspend the search due to the roaring wildfire. Furthermore, they demand that the family evacuate their cabin and leave the forest altogether. Needless to say, the latter will not happen, though Mara’s brother-in-law has enough wits about him to suggest that they’ll leave immediately.

From bad to worse to downright sinister

The fire is still fairly far away, and there is a firebreak (an area meant to be devoid of anything for the fire to devour) between them and the fire. As long as the firebreak holds, they will be okay. Also, they have their neighbor Santi (Enric Auquer) to help them. He is the local forest ranger and is responsible for the firebreak.

As if the forest fire and the disappearance of Lide aren’t already more than enough, clues will soon point to something even more sinister: Could the disappearance of Lide be a deliberate act by someone? What if it’s a kidnapping and not “just” a disappearance?!

With this fairly small story that continues to escalate, Firebreak becomes a very character-driven story. And it works really well as such. Not least thanks to the core cast of Belén Cuesta, Enric Auquer, Joaquín Furriel (Billionaires’ Bunker), and Diana Gómez (Money Heist).

Also, as the two kids in the story, we have Candela Martínez and Mika Arias. Both deliver very organic and solid portrayals.

Watch Firebreak on Netflix

The Spanish Netflix thriller (org. title: Cortafuego) comes from director David Victori, who previously directed episodes of the Sky Rojo series. Also, he made the 2020 thriller Cross the Line starring Mario Casas and Milena Smit. David Victori also wrote on the script alongside Javier Echániz (The Passenger), Asier Guerricaechebarría (Errementari), and Jon Iriarte.

This 2026 movie is produced by Anxo Rodríguez for Espotlight Media and by Ferran Tomás.

If you enjoy a solid psychological thriller and want to guess along, but don’t expect to guess everything, then Firebreak is for you. Overall, this Netflix thriller delivers on everything I expected, but also gets much darker than I ever anticipated before we get to the end.

Firebreak is out on Netflix from February 20, 2026.

Details

Director: David Victori
Writers: David Victori, Javier Echániz, Asier Guerricaechebarría, Jon Iriarte
Cast: Belén Cuesta, Enric Auquer, Joaquín Furriel, Diana Gómez