Sobrenatural

The makers of this film have confused the horror genre with one all their own; the Horrible.

I was initially very intrigued by the synopsis for this film. Witches, voodoo, Latin America, and a secret cult provided many interesting possibilities. However, one immediate preoccupation dominated the film. The director seemed engrossed with creating "inventive" camera angles. All of Them Witches/Sobrenatural is the antithesis of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in this respect, and places style above substance, which I in fact have time for when there is style in the first place. For example, the aquarium in the psychiatrist's office released a small eruption from time to time, perhaps trying to underscore the volatility of the situation, but in effect resembled underwater flatulence, such as children are wont to do in the bath after a meal of baked beans and stewed prunes.

The performances by the two lead actors was wooden, for lack of a better word, so bland that I won't even go into it.

Both Ed Wood and Roger Corman proved that even bad films can have endearing qualities. The fact that this doesn't, makes it beyond bad.

A woman begins receiving strange visions after opening a letter containing a mystical powder, and soon thereafter finds it's connected to a voodoo curse and must be stopped before it harms her and her friends.

This one wasn't really all that spectacular and turned out to be quite disappointing. Most of this is because it really doesn't do anything at all and spends a great deal of time not doing much of anything. While the concept of having bizarre visions may be horrific to those experiencing them, on film they play out so ordinarily and boring that the film appears to be so slow as to be utterly lifeless and uninteresting. Eventually it does get better towards the end when the zombified owner does get around to making an appearance and that leads to some fun in the apartment showdown being chased around by such a creepy and visually imposing presence, and the atmosphere does give off a nice suspenseful vibe, yet the fact remains that this one is just so dull and lifeless that this one really doesn't have a lot to recommend about it.

Rated R: Violence and Graphic Language

excellent film making. Very effective interweaving of psychological and supernatural effects that keep you wondering about what is really going on. Very strong, intelligent visual style. Only the very best quality films, like this one, can keep you engrossed through long sequences with no dialogue with only the power of images, thrilling you without any gore whatsoever. none. the subjective camera angles produce such a feeling of terror and uncertainty, you don't need any gore. The main actress gives a great performance. I would rank this up with Cronos, but Cronos is more unique, "fantastical" and bloodier. But the same level of excellent film making.

During the last half of the 90s, Mexican cinema had a resurgence that has kept constant through these days. Movies like "Cilantro y Perejil", "Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas" and "Todo el Poder" were only the beginning of this modernization in which the Mexican cinema basically resurrected from the underground state it had been living even in its homeland. "Sobrenatural" was one of the first "new Mexican cinema" films to come out, but what makes it stand out even among other Mexican movies, is the fact that it is the only horror movie of that generation.

"Sobrenatural" is the story of Dolores Berthier (Susana Zabaleta), a young woman that is emotionally affected after witnessing how her best friend is killed at her apartment's doorstep. Her husband Andres (Alejandro Tommasi), afraid of the violent city, prefers that Dolores stay in the apartment as she recovers from her emotional breakdown. But the greatest danger is not outside, but inside, where Dolores begins to experience what seems to be a series of supernatural events apparently linked to her friend's death. Is this witchcraft or is she only delusional?

Directed by Daniel Gruener, "Sobrenatural" is a story of paranoia, isolation and confusion set in an apartment in the same style of Polanski's Apartment Trilogy ("Repulsion", "Le Locataire" and "Rosemary's Baby"); the film is filled with many references to Polanski's work and in fact the English name of the film is "All of Them Witches", a clear reference to "Rosemary's Baby". Gruener crafts a movie that pays true homage to its influences without being too much of a rip off and keeping a distinctive style.

The story, by Gabriel González Meléndez, uses effectively the suspense and mystery, focusing on Dolores' own fears, paranoia and disbelief; even when the story drags a bit, it is never a problem and doesn't become tedious or boring. Elements such as the fear to the outside world and the fight between science and spiritualism are also among the themes explored and while at times the film feels rushed, it moves at the right slow pace for the most part. Gruener's camera-work enhances the atmospheric tone of the film relaying more on mood and dread than in graphic gore or sudden scares.

Susana Zabaleta gives an inspired performance and carries the movie with grace and power. Most of the success of the film relays on her and she succeeds as Dolores, a woman who is discovering a world bigger than what she thought. Tomassi is less convincing, and is probably the weakest link in the cast. Ricardo Blume as Dolores' psychiatrist and Delia Casanova as Madame Endor are very good in their parts and a small but effective cameo by the legendary Roberto Cobo completes a, for the most part, well assembled cast.

Gruener's horror film is not without flaws, as at times the pacing feels too rushed for the kind of film he tries to achieve. The script has some problems although for the most part it is very well developed. The film had some changes done by the studio that produced it, so one can't be sure if this is exactly what Gruener desired; however, the result is quite good and certainly better than the average horror film.

"Sobrenatural" may not be a perfect film, but it is a different option for those wanting to discover modern horror films that don't relay on typical themes. Polanski's fans will appreciate the film's many references to his work and horror fans interested in foreign cinema may find it refreshing as it is an atypical and very well done Mexican horror film. 7/10

I saw this film at the 1997 Taos Talking Pictures Festival, and, for lack of any better words, it scared the hell out of me. I talked to a number of members of the packed audience afterwards, and we all agreed at how intense, psychological, engrossing, and just generally well-made this film was. The story begins when Dolores, while alone in her apartment, hears her neighbor murdered in the hall of their apartment building. The police have no suspects, and no motive for the killing is apparent. The story builds from this as Dolores becomes obsessed with solving the murder, and as her life and everything around her begin to change. The suspense builds gradually and steadily toward a terrifying climax, and the film had moments that are comparable to any suspense or horror film that I've ever seen. I would also like to complement Daniel Gruener (whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the festival in Taos) and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto on the beautiful and almost surrealistic look of the film. All I can hope for is that this film receives the U.S., or even world-wide distribution it deserves, and that it has the chance to satisfy audiences of a much larger scale in the future.