It has been a while since I last saw something new and international. Films have been in a bit of a weird place for me where I haven't had much time to really explore the international scene like I usually would, but this tends to be where I enjoy most cinema, outside of the realm of whatever Hollywood produces. I don't think I have ever seen an Argentinan film before, so I was really excited to see a film stumble in front of me that came out last year in Argentina. And more interesting was that it appears to be a horror. Argentinian horror? Yes please! I was excited to see how this film would turn out, especially with a brief bit of research into the film in which I saw that it had incredibly high ratings. From what I gathered, this was an indie film that pursued the horror genre and had actually managed to pull it off. Instantly gaining more of my curiosity and attention. Tempted to watch it around Halloween instead, though I just couldn't wait to check it out. For a bit of context, this is a film that was released by streaming service Shudder, which has a focus on horror and thriller productions.
I find that horror films with a Spanish language tend to be pretty solid. These hispanic speaking nations have a certain way with pursuing unsettling stories that mostly focus around the weird, the supernatural and the superstitious. Given that these nations are usually rather Christian, it makes sense that a lot of their horror would come from a place of religion. The idea of the devil, demons, and ghostly powers that aim to cause pain and suffering. When Evil Lurks is something no different. A film that relies on the idea of a demon, an evil entity that is causing havoc on the lives of the innocent. I do feel as if I have seen this film before (not this particular one). A setup that hasn't been seen in a while, the relentless events that unfold for the unexpected, thrown into something far greater than them. Focused on everyday people. And I think this is when such horror films are most strong, when we see these perspectives of regular families. Making these stories feel much more real.
Returning to the world of international cinema, I think this really reminded me of a bygone era. I had flashbacks to the early 2000s, the indie horror titles with low budgets from Asia. To say that is to give great praise to When Evil Lurks.
When Evil Lurks
When Evil Lurks jumps straight into its main theme. And that comes as no surprise for a film that holds a rough 90 minute mark in its runtime. I love it! We witness a rural location in which a group stumble across a body. A family has requested the arrival of someone to kill their loved one. We see the state this loved one is in, all bloated and diseased, coated in sores. They claim he needs to be killed, that he has something within. The unfortunate circumstance is that he isn't killed in the right manner, leading to the entity within him entering another. And this is how our demonic being spreads around. As one person dies, it takes over their body, a form of possession as it spreads evil and suffering upon those it comes across. This spread starts off with something that people generally understand, and spills into those who have no idea what's going on, extending beyond the realm of superstition and into a reality. The way a person's behaviour changes when possessed is done really well. For example one of such moments features a goat that has been possessed.
The film doesn't really go into why or how this really happened, and I think that's something that I really liked about the narrative, it just expects you to go along with all the weirdness without much regard for the backstory as to who and what and where and why. These things don't really matter to us, what matters is how the characters react to such an event. And this builds a lot of suspense as we start to question these things ourselves. One moment in particular that I found interesting was the use of a mentally disabled child that clearly knows what is taking place. Resting in the car, incapable of moving, his heavy breathing ensues as a bloody hand touches the window. Not only does this reaction invoke fear into the audience, knowing what's happening, but there's a really interesting aspect of storytelling that takes place at this precise moment: the possessed has no interest in the boy. He's of no use to it for his body can't be manipulated and moved. There's emphasis on how this demon takes advantage of those who die. Manipulating the living by taking control of the loved ones that die, then proceeding to roam around pretending to be them, pulling on their emotions and trying to gain their trust. A form of infiltration.
From a filmmaking perspective the film doesn't utilise any particularly creative cinematography. But it's shot incredibly well for what it's saying. There's a lot of handheld, shaking shots with the camera, focusing on the frantic movements of its characters. And then there are parts of stillness, moments in which the suspense is the focus. Our perspectives give us the assumption of being victims, incapable of moving and escaping from a threat that is coming closer to us. I really enjoyed these moments, the ways in which the film goes from moments of horror to suspense. And the suspense is what really carries this film forward, taking advantage of moments that create tension, almost giving us the feeling that something is about to happen, some form of jump scare, though that isn't what this film is about, it doesn't lead to jump scares. It leads to a constant toying of your emotions, much like that of the possessed. Filmmaking techniques like these are most powerful. Creative cinematography doesn't go far if the atmosphere intended is missed.
Such moments of action and suspense are usually met with a little bit of downtime. Moments where the exposition appears as the characters entire another aspect of motion, usually in some form of escape. Long drives in which the characters enter the darkness of night. I didn't mind this, it's usually short-lived and does give some more depth and context to the characters, before which are met with more strange moments along the road. Sort of like an award for allowing the film to take a breather before giving us more of that good stuff. The film handles moments of darkness well as it uses the emptiness of night to convey fear. While also taking advantage of the lower budget side of things. Sometimes I do feel it was a little too dark at parts, but I get the point of it. It makes you want more, that's for sure. Not all of the film takes place at night, though. Much of it takes place in the daytime, and I think this also gives the film that feeling of reality as the passing of time is witnessed.
When Evil Lurks is a breathe of fresh air for what is typically an oversaturated market. The horror genre has been pretty much dead for a while now after relying far too much on cheap scares and tropes. Shudder's recent pursuit has certainly led to many improvements as it seeks to offer a wider range of titles on its platform. And When Evil Lurks is a great example of how indie titles can find some interest on the streaming side of things, gaining more traction than it would in the unfortunate space of troubled cinemas. This is a great film, and I definitely recommend checking it out.
