The Legacy of the Bones review – Netflix film is too slow and methodical

This review of Netflix film The Legacy of the Bones contains no spoilers.

Following on from The Invisible Guardian, The Legacy of the Bones has all the ingredients to be a darkening thriller. Investigator Amaia Salazar returns after maternity leave, a suicide and a run of spooky deaths grip her attention, leaving the word “Tarttalo” in her wake.

Investigator Salazar is a persistent investigator, and the mystery leaves her vying for the truth, however, The Legacy of the Bones sickens itself in long, methodical and dark scenes. The Netflix film fashions itself on dialogue but the words, especially in the first half of the film, feel secondary, with the constant grimness making the story seem slower than it actually is.

Director Fernando González Molina tones the Netflix film way too heavily, making the experience feel like a slog; it’s apparent if you can make it to the second half that your patience will be awarded a progressive ending, but it feels like it takes a while to get there. The Legacy of the Bones is at odds with its own style; it’s shot with purpose and precision but it really is a style over substance movie.

The Legacy of the Bones does have elements to hang on to. Salazar’s personal life is particularly intriguing, especially with the subject matter of the story and just introducing a new baby in her life. Tensions at home add to the character’s dimensions, especially after an important reveal at the midway point of the story. This really is a film that comes alive too late.

If you are an advocator of specific cinematography styles, then The Legacy of the Bones will likely spark your interest, regardless of the muddled, laborious plot. But if you are wanting a crime mysterious, embroiled with witchcraft and religious connotations, then you will be greatly disappointed at the film’s lack of energy in plot progression. It’s entirely too heavy for its own good.