My quick rating – 5.9/10. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who respect Ouija board etiquette, and those who treat it like a fun family activity. Veronica firmly falls into the latter, and naturally, things go downhill faster than my motivation to read subtitles before I got glasses. Now that my eyesight has been restored and my excuses have expired, it was finally time to dip into the pile of foreign horror collecting dust in my watchlist, starting with this Spanish possession flick from director Paco Plaza ([Rec]).
Set in 1991 Madrid, the movie opens with a police emergency call and the officers arriving to a scene so horrifying we don’t get to see it — yet. Classic horror move. We’re then informed via text that this is based on actual police reports, which instantly bumps up the tension while also triggering that familiar horror fan skepticism. (“Sure, Jan. Show me the demon on the paperwork.”) But credit where it’s due — Plaza commits to the bit.
Sandra Escacena stars as Veronica, the overworked teen left in charge of her younger siblings while their mom hustles through night shifts. Naturally, she decides this is the perfect time to whip out the Hasbro Hell Portal, complete with a solar eclipse for extra demonic signal strength. Somewhere, a Parker Brothers executive is polishing his horns with pride.
Escacena does fantastic work carrying the film with a mix of vulnerability and determination, and the kids — especially little Iván Chavero — are ridiculously good for their age. Their sibling chemistry is so genuine that it actually makes you care, which is a dangerous thing in a horror film. You start worrying more about their safety than the jump scares.
Speaking of scares — don’t go in expecting full-blown terror. Plaza doesn’t reinvent the possession wheel here. It’s demons, shadowy figures, doors that refuse to behave, the whole paranormal starter kit. But while it’s all familiar, it’s done well. The cinematography is sharp, the camera lingers just long enough to make you second-guess what you saw in the corner, and there are subtle blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that reward attentive viewers (or those who sit too close to the TV).
The only real downside? The English translation is atrocious. The grammar sounds like it was translated by someone who learned Spanish from a Magic 8 Ball. Unfortunately, my high school Spanish classes didn’t prepare me well enough to understand their native language, so unless you can, you are kind of stuck piecing together what they meant to say.
By the time we circle back to that cryptic police call from the beginning, the movie sticks the landing with real police photographs from the actual case. Demons or not, you can tell something serious went down, and you might find yourself checking behind the couch on your way to bed.
Not groundbreaking, but solidly crafted. A dependable Shocktober watch with enough atmosphere, heart, and demonic harassment to earn its place in the foreign horror queue.
