The Curse of La Llorona is a horror film released in 2007. It is directed by Terrence Williams and stars Kate Del Castillo, Jesus Ochoa, and Ana de la Reguera. The film centers around the well-known Mexican folklore of La Llorona, also known as The Weeping Woman. According to the legend, La Llorona is the ghost of a woman who drowned her children and now wanders rivers and canals, crying and looking for them. In the movie, a social worker, played by Kate Del Castillo, encounters a family who believes they are being haunted by La Llorona. The Curse of La Llorona tries to bring this chilling tale to life on the big screen.
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She is found by a woman who immediately calls out to the girl s father and hurries to pull young Hana out of the tub, showing no regard for her nakedness. After some ludicrously pointy opening credits, we lurch forward an indeterminate length of time and find Hana sitting in her bedroom, staring vacantly out the window while a nurse hovers over her.
The Curse of La Llorona tries to bring this chilling tale to life on the big screen. The movie combines elements of horror and suspense to create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere. The cinematography and visual effects contribute to the eerie ambiance, with dark lighting and haunting visuals.
La Llorona (2019)
Director/Original Idea – Jayro Bustamante, Screenplay – Jayro Bustamante & Lisandro Sanchez, Producers – Jayro Bustamante, Gustavo Mathieu, Marina Peralta & Georges Renard, Photography – Nicolas Wong Diaz, Music – Pascual Reyes, Production Design – Sebastian Muñoz. Production Company – La Casa de Produccion/Les Films du Volcan/Jalisco(Post)/Gekolor Studios/SoundTube Multimedia Studios/Tono Puro.
Cast
Maria Mercedes Coroy (Alma), Julio Diaz (General Enrique Monteverede), Margarita Kenefic (Carmen Monteverede), Sabrina de la Hoz (Natalia Monteverede), Maria Telon (Valeriana), Alya-Elea Hurtado (Sara Monteverede), Juan Pablo Olyslager (Letona)
Plot
The aging General Enrique Monteverde is on trial for the atrocities he oversaw as military leader of the junta that ruled Guatemala in the early 1980s. He is accused of having overseen or permitted the slaughter of thousands of the native Mayan peoples during this time, a charge he denies. He is convicted as guilty but the charge is overturned by the court. As crowds gather outside his house demanding justice, Enrique is forced to stay inside, along with his wife Carmen, their daughter Natalia and her young daughter Sara. Enrique is haunted by the sounds of a woman crying. After all the servants quit, they receive aid from Alma, a native girl, who signs on as a servant but comes to have a mysterious effect over the household
La Llorona or The Crying Woman is a Mexican folklore tale that originated in the 19th Century. According to the legend, La Llorona was a poor woman who married a nobleman. When he abandoned her for another woman, she drowned herself and their two children in the river. Denied entrance to Heaven for her deeds, she has spent eternity searching for her children and can always be heard weeping. She is in effect a boogeyman character and is reputed to steal other children believing them hers.
There have been several films based on La Llorona with the Mexican-made The Heritage of the Crying Woman (1947), The Curse of the Crying Woman (1963), Vengeance of the Crying Woman (1974) in which she meets the wrestling superhero Santo, Las Lloronas (2004), KM 31: Kilometre 31 (2006) and the animated The Legend of La Llorona (2011), and the US-made Spirit Hunter: La Llorona (2004), The Wailer (2006) and its sequel The Wailer 2 (2007), and J’ok-el (2007) and its sequels, Curse of La Llorona (2007), The Cry (2007), The Curse of La Llorona (2020) and The Legend of La Llorona (2022). This version of La Llorona came out four months after the high-profile James Wan-produced US-made take on the legend with The Curse of La Llorona (2019).
La Llorona was the third film for Guatemalan director/writer Jayro Bustamante who had previously gained festival acclaim with his non-genre dramas Ixcanul/Volcano (2015) and Tremors (2019).
The aging General Enrique Monteverede (Julio Diaz) (c) on trial
La Llorona and The Curse of La Llorona are two films ostensibly about the same figure in Latin American folklore but each film plays to an entirely different audience. The Curse of La Llorona was the story appropriated by Hollywood, cleaned up and repackaged as the most Hollywood of things – a spinoff from a successful box-office franchise – and sold to horror audiences. By contrast, La Llorona played to festival crowds and arthouse theatres where people went to see it as an arts and cultural work rather than as a ghost story (although when it came to US distribution, it did end up on the Shudder network).
In fact, La Lorona puts the legend so much at the behest of the political story it wants to tell that it is barely a Ghost Story at all. It is but the ghost story element doesn’t seem that important to Jayro Bustamante. Moreover, he has changed the original legend of La Llorona to fit the political tale he wants to tell – now she appears to be the ghost of a native woman who was killed during the slaughter of her village during the atrocities who has come seeking vengeance against the man responsible. There is no longer anything to the story about the woman who drowned herself and her children after being abandoned by a nobleman.
The film draws from a specific point in Guatemalan history. In particular, what is being alluded to is the military dictatorship of General Jose Efrain Rios Montt between March 1982 and August 1983. The previous president was removed from office in a coup following an election that was widely seen as fraudulent and Montt, a previous presidential candidate, was installed by the junta. During his reign, Montt instituted a brutal and bloody crackdown against Marxist rebels amongst the native Mayan peoples that ended up killing some 200,000 people. After being removed from office, Montt later ran as a presidential candidate and won a seat in congress. He was placed on trial for crimes against humanity but the verdict was overturned on a technicality. A retrial was ordered but Montt died in 2018 before the trial could be completed.
Maria Mercedes Coroy as the mysterious Alma
Jayro Bustamate creates a fiction loosely based on the real-life characters. Julio Diaz gives a fine performance as the aging general and there is a great sense in those around him – the denials of his wife, the distrust shown by the servants, the daughter who starts to ask questions – of well papered-over secrets starting to show cracks amid the ironclad denials. This aspect the film does well.
Less effective is the ghost story aspect. Aside from the whispers Julio Diaz keeps hearing, it is only at the end that Jayro Bustamante allows the ghost story aspect to emerge. As the title character, Maria Mercedes Coroy, who is an actual Mayan Indian, has a haunting presence in the film. She is blank and has little more than a dozen lines of dialogue throughout – all the expression comes in her wide eyes. Yet her curiously subservient but quietly defiant personality also leads to something increasingly haunted.
The Case For: Watching this family attempt to communicate will make you feel a lot better about how your dad used to beat you with a sock filled with batteries.
The sound design plays a significant role in building tension, with the constant sound of crying serving as a reminder of La Llorona's presence. The performances in the film are generally solid, with Kate Del Castillo delivering a believable and sympathetic portrayal of the social worker who becomes entangled in the curse of La Llorona. The supporting cast also does a decent job, although some of the characters may feel underdeveloped or interchangeable. One of the strengths of the movie is its exploration of Mexican folklore and culture. The Curse of La Llorona incorporates elements of traditional Mexican beliefs and superstitions, providing a unique and interesting perspective for viewers. This adds depth to the story and helps to create a more immersive experience. However, the film also has some shortcomings. The plot can feel predictable and formulaic at times, following the typical pattern of supernatural horror films. Some scenes may feel cliché, with jump scares and predictable moments that fail to surprise or scare the audience. Additionally, the pacing of the film could be improved, as some scenes feel drawn out or unnecessary. In conclusion, The Curse of La Llorona is a decent horror film that attempts to bring the legend of La Llorona to a wider audience. While it has its flaws, the film manages to create a creepy atmosphere and provides a unique exploration of Mexican folklore. Fans of supernatural horror may find enjoyment in this movie, but others may find it lacking in originality and scares..
Reviews for "The Curse of La Llorona (2007): The Power of Myth and Legend in Horror Cinema"
1. Sarah - 2/5
I was really disappointed with "The Curse of La Llorona" (2007). The storyline seemed promising, but the execution fell flat. The scares were predictable, and I didn't find myself feeling any real sense of fear or tension throughout the film. The acting was also quite mediocre, with the characters lacking depth and failing to elicit any emotional connection from the audience. Overall, I found the movie to be a forgettable and lackluster addition to the horror genre.
2. John - 1/5
"The Curse of La Llorona" (2007) was a complete waste of time for me. The plot felt disjointed and unoriginal, with cliché jump scares that failed to bring any genuine fright. The character development was nonexistent, leaving me feeling detached and uninvested in their well-being. The film relied too heavily on overused horror tropes, and the lack of originality was evident throughout. I wouldn't recommend this movie to any horror fans.
3. Emily - 2.5/5
While "The Curse of La Llorona" (2007) had its moments, overall, I found it to be underwhelming. The pacing was off, with the scares being few and far between. The storyline had potential, but it was poorly executed, leaving many loose ends and unanswered questions. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying. The film relied too heavily on jump scares, and the reliance on loud noises for fright became predictable and tiresome. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wishing for a more captivating horror experience.
4. Michael - 1/5
"The Curse of La Llorona" (2007) was an absolute mess. The plot was predictable, and the jump scares were cheap and ineffective. The film lacked any depth or nuance, leaving it feeling like a run-of-the-mill horror flick. The characters were one-dimensional, and the acting was wooden at best. The overall lack of originality and creativity made this movie a forgettable and disappointing experience. Save your time and skip this one.