Premiering on Netflix on May 30, 2025, A Widow’s Game (Spanish: La Viuda Negra), directed by Carlos Sedes, is a riveting Spanish psychological thriller that brings to life the infamous 2017 “Black Widow of Patraix” murder case. Starring Ivana Baquero as the manipulative María Jesús “Maje” Moreno, Carmen Machi as dogged detective Eva Torres, and Tristán Ulloa as Maje’s lover Salva Rodrigo, the film has captivated true-crime enthusiasts with 15.4 million views in its first week, topping Netflix’s Non-English charts in 24 countries. Despite a modest 42% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, its raw performances and unflinching look at betrayal and manipulation make it a must-watch for fans of psychological crime dramas. While it hasn’t yet achieved global blockbuster status, A Widow’s Game is a haunting exploration of deceit that deserves a wider spotlight. Here’s why this Spanish gem is worth your Netflix queue.

A Disturbing True-Crime Premise

Set in Valencia, Spain, A Widow’s Game dramatizes the real-life murder of Antonio Navarro Cerdán, a 36-year-old engineer stabbed to death in his apartment building’s garage on August 16, 2017. The film follows María Jesús “Maje” Moreno (Ivana Baquero), a nurse who plays the grieving widow after her husband Arturo’s (Álex Gadea) brutal death. As veteran detective Eva Torres (Carmen Machi) investigates, she uncovers Maje’s double life, revealing a web of affairs and a calculated plot with her lover, Salva Rodrigo (Tristán Ulloa), to kill Arturo for financial gain and freedom. The film, inspired by the “Black Widow of Patraix” case, explores Maje’s psychological manipulation, portraying her as a cold, seductive mastermind who convinced Salva to stab Arturo seven times, framing it as liberation from an allegedly abusive marriage—a lie exposed by police.

The premise, rooted in real events, grips viewers with its chilling simplicity: a seemingly devoted wife orchestrates her husband’s murder, exploiting love and lies. While some critics note the plot’s predictability—establishing Maje’s guilt early—the film’s strength lies in its focus on why she did it, delving into her sociopathic tendencies and the ease of her deception. For fans of true-crime stories like The Undoing or Burning Body, this Spanish thriller offers a raw, unsettling narrative that mirrors reality without sensationalism.

Authentic Visuals and Procedural Grit

Directed by Carlos Sedes (The Asunta Case), A Widow’s Game leverages Valencia’s sunlit streets and modern architecture to contrast its dark themes. Filmed on location in the Patraix neighborhood, the garage, hospital, and courtroom scenes recreate the real crime’s settings with eerie accuracy, as noted by High on Films []. Cinematographer Daniel Sosa uses tight framing and muted tones to amplify the claustrophobic tension, particularly in interrogation scenes where Eva unravels Maje’s facade. The film’s 122-minute runtime, while occasionally criticized as “too long” (Heaven of Horror []), maintains momentum through sharp editing and a documentary-like style, culminating in real courtroom recordings that ground the story in stark reality.

The production, by Bambú Producciones (The Asunta Case), avoids gory reenactments, focusing instead on psychological depth, as praised by Heaven of Horror for its “clinical dissection” of the crime []. However, some X posts lament a lack of suspense, given the early reveal of Maje’s guilt, with one user calling it “more drama than thriller.” Still, the authentic Valencia backdrop and restrained visuals make A Widow’s Game a visually compelling dive into a real-world nightmare.

Powerhouse Performances and Psychological Depth

Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth) delivers a chilling performance as Maje, capturing her manipulative charm and cold calculation with unsettling ease. Critics praise Baquero’s ability to portray Maje’s “seduction games” (IMDb []), making her both alluring and repulsive as she juggles multiple lovers while feigning grief. Carmen Machi shines as Eva Torres, the no-nonsense detective whose intuition cracks the case, though some reviews wish the script focused more on her personal struggles (Cinema Express []). Tristán Ulloa’s Salva is heartbreakingly human, portraying a man undone by Maje’s lies, with his real-life courtroom confession—heard at the film’s end—adding raw authenticity (Forbes []).

Supporting performances by Pablo Molinero, Pepe Ocio, and Joel Sánchez enrich the ensemble, though some critics note the victim, Arturo, feels like a “statistic” due to limited screen time (Film Review Daily []). The film’s emotional core lies in its exploration of manipulation, with Maje’s lies about Arturo’s abuse and fabricated medical conditions exposing her sociopathy. This focus on “emotional pedagogy” (IMDb [])—how intimacy becomes domination—makes the characters relatable, even if the narrative lacks deep psychological complexity for Maje herself (Rotten Tomatoes []).

A Solid Hit with Untapped Global Potential

With 15.4 million views in its debut week, A Widow’s Game topped Netflix’s Non-English charts, ranking No. 1 in 24 countries and No. 2 domestically behind The Wild Robot (CBR []). Its 42% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects mixed reviews, with praise for its “chilling realism” and acting but criticism for “predictable writing” and a lack of suspense (Cinema Express []). X fans call it a “10/10 thriller” for its raw performances, while others find it “slow” or “uninspired” (Pajiba []). The film’s fidelity to the real case—down to Maje’s 22-year sentence and Salva’s 17 years (Metro News [])—earns points for authenticity, but some argue it sticks too closely to facts, limiting narrative flair (El Confidencial []).

The “Black Widow of Patraix” case, with Maje’s ongoing imprisonment and her 2023 prison pregnancy (TIME []), adds a layer of intrigue that resonates in 2025, amid fascination with true-crime stories like Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Yet, its global reach remains modest compared to Netflix’s bigger hits, possibly due to its Spanish-language barrier or lack of a shocking twist.

Why You Should Watch

A Widow’s Game is a chilling, well-acted dive into one of Spain’s most shocking true crimes, offering a raw look at betrayal and manipulation without glorifying its villains. Ivana Baquero and Carmen Machi elevate a straightforward narrative, while Valencia’s authentic settings ground the story in unsettling reality. Though it may lack the suspense of flashier thrillers, its psychological depth and fidelity to the “Black Widow of Patraix” case make it a compelling watch for true-crime fans. Stream it on Netflix with English subtitles or dubbing, and brace for a story that’s as disturbing as it is real—because sometimes, the truth is the darkest twist of all.