From the director of the superb [Rec]. People are raving about it.
Prior to last year’s horror revival, it’s arguable that the best ‘relatively recent’ films from the genre were made in the Spanish language. The Orphanage, The Devil’s Backbone, Sleep Tight, Thesis and Julia’s Eyes are fine examples of brilliant horror films, but one film – and its subsequent sequels – captured the world’s attention more than anything else.
Since being released in 2007, •REC has become one of the most beloved horror franchises in recent memory because it mixed incredibly creepy set-pieces with some memorable gore. Despite the fact that the found footage and ‘shaky camera’ technique was starting to test the patience of film fans, the Spanish zombie film proved to be a massive hit at the box-office and even inspired an inferior US remake, Quarantine.
Well, if you’re a fan of the •REC trilogy, you’ll be pleased to know that one of its co-directors, Paco Plaza, has a new film on Netflix and it’s earning excellent reviews and word of mouth.
In Verónica, Plaza switches his focus from zombies to the Ouija board and demonic possession. Inspired by an actual unsolved case in Spain, the film tells the story of Verónica, a teenage girl that’s burdened with the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings following the death of their father.
With her mother always at work, Verónica is plagued by loneliness until one day she decides to perform a séance in an attempt to contact her late parent. Naturally, things don’t go as hoped. Very much in the spirit of The Conjuring series, Plaza’s tale of terror places family drama at its core.
In their review of the film, The Hollywood Reporter stressed that “the real horror in Verónica is not in the CGI visuals, or in Pablo Rosso’s frantic cinematography, or in the aural bombardment of sound effects and music; it’s in the relationship between the children.” Reel Film said that “Plaza has suffused the proceedings with a number of impressively striking images and sequences, with the creepiness factor at its highest as Verónica slowly begins to realize that something very sinister is afoot.”
At present, the film has an 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but you don’t trust the opinion of film critics, these film fans might sway you to give Verónica a watch.
Since being added to Netflix, it has really impressed horror fans with plenty of people comparing it to The Conjuring films.
Billed as 'Spain's answer to The Conjuring', VERONICA (directed by [REC] Paco Plaza) is screening in London on… https://t.co/48HRg5adSo
— HorrorCultFilms (@HorrorCultFilms) October 2, 2017
Veronica – For those who think The Conjuring takes itself too seriously. Had fun with this. Sister Death rules. #TIFF17
— C.J. Prince (@cj_prin) September 7, 2017
Verónica (Netflix) is so good at showing things just a bit unnatural and it’s unsettling as FUCK
And the family has such incredible chemistry I’m almost sad they aren’t actually siblings.
— Little Bird (@kyliepuff) February 27, 2018
Veronica in Netflix soooooo good
— ZENDEE ᥫᡠ(@Zendeeofficial) February 26, 2018
Veronica on Netflix is pretty great if you like Foreign Horror Films
— alucard (@paranoiaballoon) February 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/weyland76/status/967821867317977088
If @creepypuppet doesn’t end up directing the next @TheConjuring movie can someone please call @paco_plaza? Just caught Veronica on @netflix and I am in awe!
— The Ghost of Broadway Slasher 👻 (@Sequins4Thought) February 27, 2018
Some scares were hit and miss but when it hits, it knocks you out. And it’s not edge-of-your-seat tense like REC was- it suffers from CGI and Too Much Monster Syndrome but it’s still great in a classic sense.
Definitely recommend it. 8.8/10
— George PM (@ARestlessForest) February 27, 2018
If you're up for a suspense/thriller/horror movie tonight, go watch Veronica on Netflix. It's Spanish but daannggg Im so scared right now hahahaha
— Centaine Rondilla (@tiTAINEnium) February 27, 2018
