THE SON is a new thriller on Netflix from Argentina (org. title El Hijo). As the title indicates, it’s all about the son in this story which is both disturbing and creepy. Honestly, there’s plenty there to freak out most people. Read more in our full The Son review here.

The Son is a new thriller on Netflix. The movie was produced in Argentina (org. title El Hijo) which means it’s mostly in Spanish. I say “mostly” because some Norwegian is also spoken. The dialogue in Norwegian is not translated or subtitled which adds to the drama and mystery.

Well, except if you’re Scandinavian (like me) and will actually understand most of it. And honestly, there’s nothing much revealed in this dialogue anyway, so don’t worry about it.

The story focuses first on a pregnancy and then on the newborn. Or rather, it focused more on the relationship between the parents and not the son. However, this is not some relationship drama. It is very much a thriller with some very dark and disturbing elements.

Read more in our full The Son review (including a few comments on the ending) or simply check it out on Netflix now.

What is up with the son? 

To me, the title of The Son immediately gives me a creepy vibe. However, remember that this movie is a new thriller on Netflix. Not a horror movie. We’re dealing with something a lot more familiar; Regular human beings and our strange ways.

Though I never understood why Lorenzo (Joaquín Furriel) and Sigrid (Heidi Toini) are together, We never see the two of them having a happy and healthy relationship, so it’s weird to understand why they are even together.

In case you think the title of this Spanish-language movie is familiar, it may be because a Spanish movie was recently released on Netflix with a similar title. That one was called Your Son (or Tu Hijo in Spanish) where as this is The Son (El Hijo).

You might also like: Our review of the movie Your Son which is also on Netflix >

The one thing both movies have in common, is the fact that it’s not actually about the sons. Instead, it’s about a parent that makes choices to protect said son.

Please note, most of the movie is told through two different time periods and we jump back and forth between them. Just keep your eyes on the father’s glasses and you’ll know when we are. When we get towards the ending, then we’ll get up to the present and the time jumps are over.

The Son – El Hijo – Review – Netflix Thriller

The ending of The Son on Netflix

This will not be an “ending of The Son explained” segment, but I do need to talk about the ending without spoiling it. In fact, there isn’t much to spoil about the ending since it’s very open ended. 

We’re talking an open-ended ending in the sense that you will not be getting all the answers. When The Son ends, you will be left with a huge puzzle where you’re just a few pieces shy of having the full picture.

You will get some answers when the ending of The Son comes along, but this will leave you with new questions. And these are questions you will never get answers to. I don’t mind an open ending where you have to make your own conclusions. But with The Son, I don’t have all the facts. 

This means the ending of The Son is something I can make out to be whatever I want. I may have theories, but they can never be confirmed. And I will still have questions that can never be answered. 

Watch The Son on Netflix now!

The Son was directed by Sebastián Schindel who has been directing documentary films since 2001. In fact, The Son (El Hijo) is only his second feature film after his debut in 2014.

This new Spanish-language thriller on Netflix is based on the novel by Guillermo Martínez. The adapted screenplay was written by Leonel D’Agostino who has written for both TV series, documentaries, short films and feature films.

really enjoyed the way the story in The Son was always very open to interpretation. You can believe the father or you can wonder if something else is going on. However, the ending of The Son is too open for my liking. Overall, the movie was so good that it didn’t ruin it for me, but it did leave me hanging.

Also, the cast is truly great so the actors alone are more than enough reason to check out this movie on Netflix. Especially Martina Gusman (Julieta) is simply perfect and often acts as the voice of reason in this story!

The Son (El Hijo) is out on Netflix in many countries from July 26, 2019.

Details

Director: Sebastián Schindel
Cast: Joaquín Furriel, Martina Gusmán, Luciano Cáceres

Plot

A 50-year-old painter named Lorenzo decides to rebuild his life after hard times. Anxious about the son he will have with his new wife, she begins to have a certain obsessive and malicious behavior. Something that begins already during pregnancy. With the birth of the baby, their relationship reaches new levels of dangerous hostility and certain unhealthy behaviors.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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