Abuela

Let's pour ourselves a glass of wine, scenes of old naked (or partially naked) people have haunted a number of horror films over the last decade (Visit, Hereditary, Witch, It Follows, The Taking of Deborah Logan, and many others), and in many cases they caused major heart attacks – it’s almost a cliché now. The Spanish La Abuela is not downright bad, but it’s not likely to cause a lot of hype. It’s biggest problem is how predictable it all is. (31/03/2022)

A solid atmospheric and uncomfortable horror film from Paco Plaza. The Grandmother is not as great as expected, but I was not offended and got what I expected. A Parisian model has to return from Madrid because her grandmother has had a stroke and needs immediate care, but it's no walk in the park. I’ve liked scary old people since The Visit and this time I was once again treated to a nice horror film. This source of haunting works for me more than ghosts or demons, it is very realistic and relatable and I certainly didn't envy the situation given to the main character. It has a slower pace, but it's beautifully shot and acted, and the atmosphere is awesome in each scene (the dream sequences are terrific and the finale reminded me of The Conjuring). There is great sound and camera work and strobe work – and I like that. The final twist can be predicted, but I still found it well thought out and properly unsettling. Anyone who likes Spanish filmmaking, scary old people and proper atmospheric fear without cheesy jump-scares the old fashioned way shouldn't grumble. A hair worse than last year's 32 Malasana Street, but fine nonetheless. Story 3/5, Action 2/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 1/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 4/5. 7/10. (27/03/2022)