A Widow’s Game – Review | Netflix (3/5)

A WIDOW’S GAME on Netflix is a new thriller based on a true crime case. It follows the actual Spanish case surprisingly closely. The runtime is too long, but you won’t lose interest as the story is just too sinister. Read our full A Widow’s Game movie review here!

A WIDOW’S GAME is a new Netflix thriller from Spain (org. title: La viuda negra). It’s based on true crime. While it seems like this movie might be exaggerating facts, it really isn’t. The real case was known as “The Black Widow of Patraix”.

And yes, the use of “black widow” should tell you a lot. Read up on the true story here >

The cast of this new Netflix thriller is full of familiar faces, so if you’ve watched any genre productions from Spain, you’ll recognize quite a few of the actors. And if you haven’t, then you need to get started. Seriously, you’ve got a lot of amazing movies to look forward to.

Continue reading our A Widow’s Game movie review below. Find it on Netflix from May 30, 2025.

One woman, many men

I’m not one to shame anyone. If a woman wants to be in multiple relationships, then that’s up to her. She probably shouldn’t get married, though, and definitely not lie to her husband and boyfriends about other relationships.

However, for the young woman, Maria Jesus or just “Maje” (Ivana Baquero), marriage is not what she expected. She’s still young, working hard as a nurse to help fulfil their dream of renovating their home, and wants to let off steam by going to clubs.

Her husband, meanwhile, is all about the calm life. Dinner with friends and staying home. So, Maje starts looking elsewhere for excitement (as she had done before the two married), and soon, she wants her husband gone to achieve true freedom.

This led to the murder of her husband in August 2017. He was stabbed seven times in their parking garage in Valencia. All signs point to a crime of passion, and the veteran inspector (Carmen Machi) soon suspects Maje, the young widow.

She’s alone in this theory for a while, but enough is “off” that others are willing to entertain the idea. The sweet young woman seems heartbroken and had only been married to the victim for less than a year. And yet, she seems to have many boyfriends already.

Again, not against any law, but something that might reveal a motive.

The casting of La viuda negra

The casting of this Spanish Netflix thriller is very impressive. So much that I knew I would enjoy it for the actors, if not for the plot. And while it is a little too long in its runtime, it’s not a problem with this casting.

A Widow’s Game has Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth, Black Friday) as the title character, Maje. As the homicide detective trying to catch her is Carmen Machi (The Bar, Criminal, Piggy). These two alone make the movie worth watching and deliver strong portrayals.

Also playing key roles are Tristán Ulloa (The Asunta Case, Warrior Nun), Pedro Casablanc (1992, The Wait), Joel Sánchez, Pablo Molinero (The Chalk Line), and Pepe Ocio (Jaguar).

Overall, many of these actors are portraying people who are not necessarily very likable. They are, however, very relatable or, at the very least, very realistic.

Watch A Widow’s Game on Netflix

Carlos Sedes is the director of A Widow’s Game. On this Netflix movie, Carlos Sedes is working with several of the same people as on previous projects. Many of his past projects have been TV series.

Including the Netflix series The Asunta Case, which was also based on a true story. In fact, this new Netflix thriller was written by the same writers as The Asunta Case. As already mentioned, I did feel A Widow’s Game ran a bit long.

And yet, on the other hand, I can imagine this true crime case could have worked as a miniseries as well.

There is a lot to this story. So much so that you find yourself thinking they must be taking things a little too far compared to the true story. Well, they’re not. This Spanish thriller stays very close to the true crime case it’s based on.

Want the facts of the case? Just head on over here and read up on The Black Widow of Patraix >

This true crime was as cold and sinister as shown in this Netflix movie based on it. In other words, do check out the movie for the plot, but especially for the amazing core cast.

A Widow’s Game (org. title: La viuda negra) is on Netflix from May 30, 2025.

Details

Director: Carlos Sedes
Writers: Ramón Campos, Gema R. Neira, David Orea, Jon de la Cuesta, Ricardo Jornet, Javier Chacártegui
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Carmen Machi, Tristán Ulloa, Joel Sánchez, Álex Gadea, Pablo Molinero, Pepe Ocio, Ramón Ródenas, Amparo Fernández, Miquel Mars