When it comes to the latest TV shows and limited series, you can always count on Netflix to deliver the goods.

From the likes of Bridgerton and The Queen’s Gambit to Sex Education and Shadow And Bone, the streaming platform is famed for its ever-growing collection of stand-out series.

However, just because Netflix is good at TV, doesn’t mean its film collection isn’t worth a look, either. And that includes the platform’s latest addition: Tragic Jungle. 

The spine-chilling thriller, which landed on Netflix earlier this week, has been well-received by critics and took home numerous awards at the Venice Film Festival last year.

And while its arrival on the platform may have been overshadowed by a number of other high-profile releases (including the hotly-anticipated return of Lupin), that doesn’t make the film any less worth watching – especially if you enjoy being kept on the edge of your seat.  

Keep reading to find out more about this exciting new film.  

What is Tragic Jungle about?

Set in 1920 on the border between Mexico and Belize, Tragic Jungle (or Selva Trágica, in the film’s original Spanish) follows the story of Agnes, a young Belizean woman on the run from an arranged marriage, who finds herself alone in the heart of the Mayan jungle.

Here, she stumbles across a group of Mexican gum workers – but it quickly becomes clear that all is not as it seems.  

As the film’s official synopsis reads: “Her presence incites tension among the men, arousing their fantasies and desires. Filled with new vigour, they face their destiny, without knowing that they have woken up Xtabay, a legendary being that lurks in the heart of the jungle.”

Xtabay, for those who haven’t heard of her before, is a mythical female demon from Yucatec Mayan mythology who is said to prey on men in the forest and lure them to their death – so, as you can imagine, the film is far from easy going. 

According to Variety, Tragic Jungle is loosely inspired by the novel Caribal: El Infierno Verde by the Mexican novelist-diplomat Rafael Bernal. 

Who stars in Tragic Jungle?

The cast of Tragic Jungle is largely made up of local or non-professional actors.

This includes the film’s star, Indira Rubie Adrewin, a Belizean actor who makes her film debut in Tragic Jungle.

Other members of the cast include Gilberto Barraza (who plays Ausencio, the leader of the group of Mexican gum workers), Mariano Tun Xool, Eligio Meléndez and Gabino Rodríguez. 

Is there a trailer for Tragic Jungle?

Yes – and it gives you a taste of the kind of atmospheric, creeping horror you can expect from the film.

You can watch the full trailer below (just make sure to switch on captions if you can’t speak Spanish, in order to get a full sense of the trailer and everything that happens in it). 

Where can you watch Tragic Jungle?

Tragic Jungle is now available to stream on Netflix.  

And once you’ve finished, why not check out one of the brilliant thriller films available to watch on Netflix? There are plenty to choose from. 

Images: Getty