Collision Course

Bank robbery movies usually build toward one big moment. Collision Course gets the robbery out of the way almost immediately and then spends the rest of its running time asking what happens next, and what might have happened instead. The Spanish thriller, called Colisión in its home country, premiered worldwide on Netflix on October 30, 2026, and within two days it was sitting at No. 1 in dozens of countries.

It's a film that has split critics more than most heist movies do. Here's what it's about, why it feels different and who is most likely to enjoy it.

A robbery in the middle of a crisis

The story is set in Madrid during Spain's financial crisis, around 2013. Netflix's synopsis says it begins "when a group of robbers storms a bank in Madrid, triggering a series of unpredictable events." From there, "What initially appears to be just another robbery turns into a game of deception, fear and survival."

The robbery itself is quick. Diego Lerer at Micropsia noted that it "lasts no more than five minutes at the beginning of the film." The real story is the getaway, and the secrets that come out once things start to go wrong.

Netflix's own pitch is even shorter: "Collision Course is a thriller in which no one is quite who they appear to be." That line is worth remembering, because the film takes it seriously.

Who's in the car

The cast is packed with familiar Spanish faces. Laia Costa plays Carla, and Karra Elejalde plays Pedro. Álvaro Cervantes is Raúl, and Tamar Novas plays Tomás. Luis Zahera appears as Ernesto, a bank manager, and Lluís Homar plays Luis.

International viewers may recognize Costa from Victoria and Zahera from The Beasts. Elejalde is a veteran of Spanish cinema whose name alone tells local audiences to expect something solid.

Jorge Cabrera, Alba Fontecha, Ismael Martínez and Imma Sancho round out the ensemble.

A drama director tries something new

Daniel Sánchez Arévalo is the surprising name here. He's best known for character-driven films like DarkBlueAlmostBlack and Seventeen, and Netflix says this is his first thriller.

The idea came from producer Ramón Campos of Bambú Producciones, the company behind Velvet and Cable Girls. Campos co-wrote the script and served as executive producer. Arévalo remembered the pitch simply: "Do you fancy changing genre?"

He was clearly ready for it. "I was really keen to step outside my world and explore stories that didn't originate in my own head," he said in Netflix's announcement. He was also proud of the actors, calling them "A true dream team."

The film was shot in and around Madrid, and the city's streets give the chase a grounded, lived-in feel.

Why it plays like a puzzle

This is where Collision Course separates itself from a standard heist movie. Without giving anything away, the story doesn't move in a straight line. It keeps coming back to the same moments and showing how small changes can lead to very different outcomes.

Lerer compared the experience to a "«choose your own adventure» scenario." Shashikant Saurav at K-waves and Beyond explained that "There is no single chain of events taking place," which is part of what makes the film so talked about.

That structure is the movie's big gamble. If you enjoy films that ask you to keep track of shifting versions of the truth, it's a lot of fun. If you prefer a clean, simple heist story, it may feel like hard work.

What critics liked

The positive reviews mostly focus on tension and craft. Charles Hartford at But Why Tho? praised "A compelling narrative hook and an ability to craft tension." He was especially impressed by the cast: "It is genuinely impressive how the actors manage to present several different versions of their characters."

Lerer was even more enthusiastic about the format. "Those willing to go along with the invitation will enjoy this game of deception layered upon deception," he wrote.

Jose Solís at Common Sense Media gave it 4 out of 5 and called it "the kind of smart, tense, well-acted thriller that used to play in cinemas and no longer does." Javier Ocaña at El País singled out the social backdrop, writing that the setting "is well-crafted, even incorporating humor and social nuances (gambling addiction)."

What didn't work

Not everyone bought into the game. Vikas Yadav at Midgard Times gave it 3.5 out of 10, arguing it was "conceived with only one thing in mind: twist after twist after twist." His harshest line called it "a nothingburger of a thriller that, in the end, has nothing to say."

Hartford, who gave it 5.5 out of 10, felt the characters held it back: "the character-side struggles keep it from firing on all cylinders." Saurav wished the film had explained the robbers' motives better, writing, "I felt that there wasn't enough development of their situation to make them desperate."

Even Lerer admitted the format "can initially be somewhat confusing." Diego Batlle at Otroscines summed up the middle ground, calling it "a thriller that will not change the history of the genre."

According to Wikipedia's summary of the El País review, Ocaña also felt the film leans heavily on Run Lola Run and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. Fans of either film will spot the influence.

A global hit

Mixed reviews haven't slowed it down. CBR, citing FlixPatrol, reported that the film topped Netflix's movie charts in 40 territories on its first day and reached No. 1 in 64 countries on day two, including the UK, the U.S. and Spain. It knocked Surviving Hurricane Otis and Animals out of the top spots.

Spanish thrillers have a strong track record on Netflix, and this one arrived with a catchy hook and a recognizable cast. That combination clearly worked.

Should you watch it?

If you like twisty thrillers that reward close attention, give it a try. It's close to two hours long, so pick a night when you can focus. Checking your phone halfway through is a quick way to get lost.

If you want a classic heist with a big score and a clean ending, critics suggest this might frustrate you. The film cares more about its characters' secrets than about the robbery itself.

I think the most interesting thing here is watching a director known for intimate dramas try his hand at a genre puzzle. Even the critics who weren't convinced admit it's ambitious.

I would suggest going in knowing as little as possible. The less you read about the plot, the more the film's surprises will land.