Movie Review: How Is 'Unbridled' ('Animales sin Collar') On Netflix?

An aspiring politician, his devoted wife, and secrets from the past reach a fever pitch for potential calamity in “Unbridled” (“Animales sin Collar”). Abel (Daniel Grao) is a professor with a relentless desire to reach political office in Spain.

His wife Nora (Natalia de Molina) is keeping a secret that relates to both of their pasts. Abel openly admits he had a troubled one. How disquieting was it? “Unbridled” provides hints and clues. However, Abel's righteous bearing over everyone he encounters makes one doubt its severity.


Unbeknownst to him, tension is mounting as the shreds of his past start to weave a garment that could obscure everything. Sheltering Abel from the brewing storm is his wife, who is desperately trying to keep a compromising secret from him.

“Unbridled” spends a lot of time also keeping the truth from the audience, as it attempts to ratchet up the tension. The characters caught in the web of deception are hard to empathize with. A dynamic that makes the ensuing scenario's stakes tough to engage in. Not until the end, does a sympathetic party emerge.

If you are looking for another lesson in the power of first impressions, “Unbridled” is a durable option. As a thriller, its pace undermines it. The build-up requires the viewer to be considerably invested in the characters because it requires spending so much time with them and without answers.


Hanging out in the waiting room with characters that are consumed in a mystery that's worse ramifications are not bothersome to imagine happening is rough. To its credit, the ending of “Unbridled” is quite surprising with one part of it particularly curious to consider.

Overall, “Unbridled” is a political drama more than a thriller. It portrays the mindset of someone believing they are better than other people. To the point, they can pass judgment without the flicker of any self-awareness. For those who struggle with enabling loved ones who exhibit the behavior dramatized, it could be a valuable wake-up call.

The story is an interesting case study, and the results will undoubtedly generate thought afterward. There is a lot to sift through because as much time as “Unbridled” spends with its characters, it is often introspective. Hence, it is not possible to know them with an intense depth, which makes an ability to grapple with certain things more difficult.


Well-acted, “Unbridled” is filled with characters that are tough to connect with, and that proves to be its most significant hurdle. When you add in a contemplative pace caring about the characters is even more critical. Without that factor, “Unbridled” loses a lot of its free rein.

Rating: 5.5/10

“Unbridled” (“Animales sin Collar”) is now streaming on Netflix.

[Featured Image by Netflix / Movistar+ / Paloma Spa]