Terrified

First of all, the art on the poster is excellent, which attracted me to this film. Unfortunately no visual in the film matched this. I found the first death scene very creepy, although I think, that the husband's reaction could have been more intense. If Iwitnessed something like that, I'd be overwhelmed with horror. It was the scariest scene in the film, I thought. After that the film started going all over the place, showing paranormal events in three different residences. The events really didn't have much, if any continuity, nor explanation, which diminished my interest. In the end, a group of scientists and police investigated these paranormal occurrences, but came to no understanding of them. So the film has some interesting, paranormal scenes, with very little cohesion to them.

First off, I like the film. It is creepy, part 'The Conjuring', part 'The Beyond'. What I didn't care for (more of an 'irritant' than anything else), is that it lacks character development...it doesn't 'focus' on any one person and build a story around them, but 'jumps' around, and just leaves us wondering what happened to character 'A'. That, and some idiotic inconsistencies, such as when a character keeps telling others that they need to leave... it's like, 'leave already, no one is stopping you'...but inevitably sticks around...with predictable results. And then, someone miraculously 'recovers' after a major health episode, one that has him begging to go to the hospital...and what does he do ? He goes off by himself... and has a smoke ! But, if you don't analyze it too much, and just go in to have fun and get some scares, it's a good film.

'Terrified (2017)' is a film that focuses wholly on its scares, to the point that it actually sort of shoots itself in the foot a little. What I mean is that everything other than its horror is so barebones that it's actually difficult to care about, or even remember, anything that's going on. Though the scary sequences are truly well achieved, they don't have nearly as much impact as they could have if the flick's other elements weren't neglected as much as they are. The picture has a protagonist problem that sees the audience bounce about from person to person for far too long before settling on someone who finally feels like (at least in retrospect) a 'main character'. This is just one of the factors that adds up to that 'narrative neglect' I mentioned earlier. The others include a general lack of structure, a pace that's almost too fast (if there is such a thing) and a few story points that don't quite line up with the otherworldly explanation offered towards the end. It probably sounds like I don't like the picture, but that isn't true. It's entertaining enough in the moment and it has a strong atmosphere. Plus, (as I've mentioned already) it has more than a handful of genuinely high-calibre scares and it never takes the easy, 'cattle prod' approach even though there are more than enough jump scares throughout (including one of the best, most earned shocks I've recently seen). Despite its issues, the film isn't bad at all. The trouble is that it's really, really forgettable. Still, it's arguable that good experiences are worth having even if you don't remember them. If you want some top-notch horror, that's certainly the case here. 6/10.

This Argentinian addition to the horror genre is a refreshing submission from a fledgling director. Written and directed without the usual hubris that we as humans can solve any supernatural problem by basically willing it away and shot in a way which evokes a feeling of being lost from the beginning. Told in a non-linear format with the vantage point being that of multiple characters, each with their own observations and fears keeping the movie fresh through it relatively short run time.

With a few masterfully and patiently created scares blended seamlessly into a engrossing and thoughtful plot this film is a welcome addition to the currently bland horror movie genre.

TERRIFIED is an inventive, original, and highly effective horror film from Argentina.

A paranormal investigator (Elvira Onetto) and a forensics expert (Norberto Gonzalo) work together with the rest of their assembled team to solve a bizarre mystery. It seems that a neighborhood has become the epicenter for supernatural phenomena. The team must split up, in order to uncover what has happened in three separate homes. As the evening progresses, the terror increases, culminating in a nightmare of ghoulish death.

If you enjoy disturbing, unpredictable stories of the paranormal variety, then this should satisfy!...