FRED Watch Quickie Film Review: Verónica (2017)
CONJURING SOME SPINE-TINGLING CHILLS.
I’m a Wayne Stellini and welcome to FRED Watch, where we review everything from the mainstream to the obscure. Today’s film is the much-hyped Spanish supernatural chiller, Verónica…
Apaches Entertainment / Expediente La Película A.I.E. / Film Factory / Sony Pictures International Productions
With her widowed mother Ana (Ana Torrent) working extensive hours, fifteen-year-old Verónica (Sandra Escacena) is responsible for looking after her younger siblings, twins Lucía (Bruna González) and Irene (Claudia Placer), and little brother Antoñito (Iván Chavero).
One day at school while the faculty and pupils are observing a solar eclipse, Verónica and two friends—Rosa (Ángela Fabián) and Diana (Carla Campra)—sneak into the basement and use a Ouija board to communicate with Verónica’s father.
But their seance brings forth a different entity; one that attaches itself to Verónica and terrorises her with increasing intensity…
Labeled as Spain’s answer to The Conjuring (2013) and promoted through Netflix as a film so scary, people couldn’t watch it to the end, Verónica is by no means the most terrifying or original film you will ever see. But this is not to say that it isn’t a good movie.
Unexceptional as it may be, Verónica delivers some effective seat-jumpers and is considerably captivating (without being overly riveting) throughout. Sandra Escacena is exceptional as our titular heroine; both likeable and relatable, hers is a compelling performance that drives the film when the action subsides. The supporting players also deliver fine performances, particularly Bruna González as Verónica’s sister Lucía, under Paco Plaza’s taut direction.
Overall, this is a competently made and beautifully photographed film, but Netflix subscribers who consider themselves horror aficionados may have pressed the stop button for a scarier alternative. For everyone else, Verónica is an intriguing ride, made even more so because it is based on actual events, and serves as a wonderful big screen debut for Escacena. May this mark the beginning of a lengthy and diverse career for this incredible new talent. 3½ / 5
Starring: Sandra Escacena, Bruna González, Claudia Placer, Iván Chavero, Ana Torrent, Consuelo Trujillo, Sonia Almarcha, Maru Valduvielso, Leticia Dolera, Ángela Fabián, Carla Campra, Samuel Romero.
Director: Paco Plaza | Producer: Enrique López Lavigne | Writer: Paco Plaza, Fernando Navarro | Music: Chucky Namanera | Cinematographer: Pablo Rosso | Editor: Martí Roca
Available: Netflix
Let us know what you thought of this film in the comments!
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