Upamanyu Biswas
Originally titled ‘Celda 211,’ ‘Prison Cell 211’ is a survival story centered on a massive prison riot in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The thriller series is told through the eyes of a human rights lawyer named Juan Olivera, who finds himself trapped in the same prison and has to find a way to survive as chaos breaks out around him. Over time, he becomes engulfed in a web of crime and corruption lurking within the establishment, especially those who occupy positions of authority. As the walls close in around him, Juan must shed his compassionate nature and become something else to survive the harrowing ordeal. The Netflix show, directed by Gerardo Naranjo and Jaime Reynoso, tackles themes of resilience, morality, justice, institutional corruption, crime, and overcoming adversity.
Prison Cell 211 is Based on a Crime Fiction Novel
‘Prison Cell 211’ is adapted from the 2003 novel ‘Celda 211,’ penned by Francisco Pérez Gandul, the show’s scriptwriter. The series focuses on one man’s journey through a nightmare scenario unfolding during a prison riot. In the novel, the protagonist is a prison guard who becomes entangled in a prison riot on the day of transferring to the facility. Subsequently, he has to do whatever is necessary to escape the situation. The show captures the same premise with slight differences in character origins and specific events. For instance, the protagonist of the Netflix show, Juan Olivera, is a human rights lawyer instead of a prison guard, as depicted in the source material. However, the essence of the narrative remains intact across both mediums. Intriguingly, the novel is also the source behind ‘Cell 211,’ a 2009 crime thriller movie by Daniel Monzón.
In the film, the protagonist is a prison guard, like in the book. As both the film and Netflix adaptation are based on the same novel, their premises are mostly identical. At its heart, ‘Prison Cell 211’ explores an ordinary person’s capacity for cruelty regarding matters of survival and horrifying circumstances. The story emphasizes these ideas through an everyday protagonist who has to push himself beyond his physical, emotional, and psychological barriers in a bid to escape prison. In doing so, he realizes his potential and the lengths an individual can jump to when saving their own life. The show poses questions of morality and whether some choices are worth making if they end up bringing a monster out in people. These grave discussions propel the story forward and create tension throughout, especially when viewed through a character’s subjective lens.
Prison Cell 211 Also Takes Inspiration From a Real-Life Prison Breakout
While ‘Prison Cell 211’ is largely a fictional tale, the show reportedly also takes inspiration from the 2023 prison riots at Cereso No. 3, a state prison in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. According to reports, a gang of criminals descended on the prison in several armored vehicles on January 1, resulting in a number of deaths. These gang members stormed the facility and began a gunfight with the prison guards. Meanwhile, the inmates also sparked a riot within the establishment. In the aftermath, casualties and injuries were reported while reportedly 24 inmates escaped, which included Ernesto Alfredo Piñón de la Cruz, the leader of the Los Mexicles gang. Law enforcement had to hunker down and work around the clock for a few days until they could detain some of them. Ernesto was killed in a gunfight on January 5.
Although the series may not take direct inspiration from the events that took place in Cereso No. 3 in 2023, much of the narrative context matches up with the case. For example, the story itself is set in a prison named Cereso 38 in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a backdrop that parallels details from the actual case. Therefore, the show’s basis may have been a blend between the novel’s premise and the occurrences during the 2023 prison riots. By combining the two elements, a more authentic result is achieved that helps the audience get closer to the characters’ dilemmas and their difficult situation. It is a crime narrative that gets the tone right by adhering to immersion and suspenseful storytelling.
Juan Olivera is a Fictional Lawyer With No Ties to Reality
Juan Olivera in ‘Prison Cell 211’ is a fictional character conceived by writer Francisco Pérez Gandul. He is the main figurehead of the show and the lens through which the entire story is seen. While the original novel is told through the eyes of a prison guard, the big shakeup in the show is Juan’s origin as a lawyer. It breeds more anxiety within the audience as Juan is incredibly inexperienced in prison environments, much less during a full-fledged riot where he has to disguise himself as an inmate to survive. He is a rookie in such grave situations where any mistake could be the difference between life and death. The character goes through a radical shift in perspective and humanity as he spends more and more time with the prison’s inhabitants, disguising himself as one of them.
Naturally, the series has many dark themes, which are directly tied to Juan’s subjective experience within the prison’s walls. He gets a firsthand view of the depravity humans are capable of when left alone, making his transition from an everyday civilian into a survivor that much more compelling and authentic. While he may be fictional, the character is an embodiment of the darkness lurking within every human being and how it can come to the surface when put in a stressful and bleak environment.
Read More: Where Was Prison Cell 211 Filmed? Is Cereso 38 a Real Prison?
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