A popular Mexican folklore, which depicts The Curse of la Llorona, states that years ago a mother in rage drowned her two children in a nearby body of water. The legend states that if children don’t behave, “The Weeping Woman” will find them and they will take the place of her own, murdered, children, who she desperately misses. When an employee of Child Protective Services, Anna (Linda Cardellini), does not heed the warning of a local mother, la Llorona attaches herself to Anna and her two children, Sam (Jaynee-Lynn Kinchen) and Chris (Roman Christou). With the spirit determined to claim the children as her own, Anna must instill her trust in Rafael (Raymond Cruz), a former priest who now deals with the occult. Together they will do whatever they can to save the family and bring an end to la Llorona.
Children make us feel vulnerable, they cause anyone connected to them, in precarious situations, to worry and feel a sense of nervousness. The Curse of la Llorona capitalizes on this as the majority of the film, regardless of how important Anna is to the story, revolves around the children. Chris, Samantha, and the other children present in the film are used to instill fear in the viewers. Because of their innocent nature and the acting ability of the young talents the children are able to successfully frighten anyone watching. They don’t frighten because they, themselves are scary, but rather the idea that something terrible may be coming their way. Their fear seems genuine and their talent should not be overlooked, as nearly the entire film depends on whether or not the children are successful in depicting emotion.
I’m late to the game in terms of The Conjuring series, but The Curse of la Llorona has convinced me that watching the rest of the films is a good idea. The story is compelling and twisted, and the antagonistic approach director Michael Chaves takes pulls viewers in and intrigues them from the opening moments. While directors change between installments, it seems clear that the series has solid footing and has found an algorithm that helps find the other films success. While it’s not always the best idea to begin watching a series from anywhere but the beginning, The Curse of la Llorona appears to work well on its own, as well as providing the kick in the rear viewers need in order to watch the other films.
A fairly in-depth look at The Curse of la Llorona provides enough context for viewers to feel a sense of suspense and unease throughout the film. Chaves is able to reach audiences in the way he had hoped and, from the opening moments, viewers are truly engulfed in a world of terror. The Curse of la Llorona frightens and entertains, and, thanks to the children, tells a compelling story of life and death.
Directed by Michael Chaves.
Written by Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis.
Starring Linda Cardellini, Roman Christou, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen, Raymond Cruz, Marisol Ramirez, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
Comments