Errementari

Currently out on Netflix, Errementari is a Basque film, a dark fairy tale kind of like the Brothers Grimm based on a European fable. In it, a young girl comes across a blacksmith who has trapped a demon.

The whole thing is well done. It captures the roughness of original fairy tales without trying to make this a straight-out horror movie.

The best part is the whole look of the thing. The demon design is based on medieval drawings of Hell. The demons have this retro look that is both fun, but also a little unsettling.

What a great find I stumbled on. So refreshing to watch a film, which does not have to rely on big budgets and flashy special effects. Simply a great piece of story-telling, like watching a live theatre show.

I don't know if the dubbed version just sucks or what. While not any kind of "purist" I watched this movie subbed. I'm sure some of the folklore bits sailed over my American head, but this movie is absolutely amazing. The acting, superb. For what isn't a blockbuster movie, the special effects are quite good. The whole feel of the world has a fantastic dark fairytale reality. If you're looking for a slasher movie, this isn't it. But it's a charming fascinating and beautiful retelling of an old folktale sprinkled with some comedic bits. Seeing it on Netflix I actually thought it was going to be a piece of schlocky European horror. Boy was I wrong.

Another reviewer labeled this as a "Dark Fantasy", and that is simply spot on! It's not really a true horror movie; almost more a morality play based on Basque folklore, and is scary in a proper "Grimm's Fairy Tales" sort of way. If you're familiar with the movie "Legend"(1985 w/Tom Cruise), this movie should be next to it on your shelf... or I guess these days in the same folder on your computer/tablet.

As to viewing options, and some of the complaints about the acting, I'll say this: the English dub is pretty bad(for both dialogue and overall audio), which often over or under sells the actor's delivery. If you are one who can handle subtitles, you're best experience will be listening to the original Basque audio, and the subtitles of your native language.

I like this one! It's very well done and makeup is excelent! It's horror with a great sense of black humor!