Christopher Alender (director)
(studio)
18 (certificate)
90 (length)
05 March 2021 (released)
06 March 2021
A woman giving birth in what looks like demonic surroundings is the opening for this intriguing Mexican based thriller that probes superstition, religion and family roots.
Cristina (Brigitte Kali Canales) a journalist who long ago left her ancestral home of Veracruz, Mexico for the US, has returned to investigate local legends and in particular visit ‘La Boca’ an ancient site that she has been warned against going to.
The consequence is that Cristina is captured and held in room by Javi (Sal Lopez), her cousin Miranda (Andrea Cortés) and Luz (Julia Vera). The room is covered in sigils and Cristina is questioned (while forced to drink milk) about why she is there knowing the meaning of the place.
Through interrogation and ritual Cristina’s story is revealed and why she chose to return to a place that she had all but rejected many years ago. It slowly dawns on her that there are other matters and entities that have to be confronted and dealt with in a complicated situation that appears to pit modern thinking against ancient and deeply held beliefs and powers.
Written by Marcos Gabriel, director Christopher Alender nudges the story forward with some fantastic landscapes and smaller more intense scenes of the captive Crisitina as she struggles to make sense of what she sees as just research for an article, but others as sacrilege, and why it should raise such angst with the locals and her family.
It’s a wordy film that looks at how a culture can so easily and quickly be set to one side almost removed, as Miranda notes, Cristina can hardly speak Spanish anymore. Cristina has long periods of disconnect and confusion with a difficult, very personal journey led her to the US though that has not turned out to be the panacea, having fallen victim to drugs as she tries to wipe away the memories of her childhood a decision that also means rejection of her roots and traditions.
The performances are first class with the interaction between Miranda and Cristina key to the film and its progress with them effectively reacquainting. Which is at times a little slow and could appear to just be set up for the set pieces as Cristina is put through her trials. These in turn however are excellently controlled with Alender not getting too carried away with the effects keeping them well within the setting of the film.
