Veneciafrenia

Veneciafrenia works better when it leans into the slasher with the beautiful Venice and its costumes as backdrop, but falls hard when it tries to focus on the main conspiranoic plot of the film, becoming something completely different and far less interesting.

Álex de la Iglesia's Veneciafrenia, on paper, is a film right up my alley. It is one of those vacation-gone-awry films that works when it's being a pure slasher, and fails when it tries to be a lot more. As someone who lives on the other side of the world, the initial scenes centered around protests in Venice towards ocean liners (and the thousands of Instagram-happy tourists they bring) was news to me, which I had to Google more about. The concept is intriguing, and works fine for a slasher. The protagonists are your typical not-so-likeable tourists who'd do anything just to have a good time, and it was difficult to get behind any of their antics. At times, they're plain stupid. In a film like this, it's mostly the antagonists that you're eyeing. The creepy jester is a scary addition to that universe, and so are the rest of them in masks.

But I wish we didn't have to know so much about them. Retaining some level of mystery around these angry locals would have made it more enjoyable. There's a bigger conspiracy at play, and except for some of the jester's carelessly-yet-magnificently executed savagery, the thrills are lacking. Pablo Rosso's cinematography work captures Venice in darker tones, which is apt given the plot. The ending is also rather tame - you expect a BANG, but turns out, it's just a whimper!

This is such a good film.

I'm not understanding why there's no many really bad reviews.

It feels like they're watching a completely different film from what I've seen.

The acting was great, sound quality was excellent, costumes were brilliant, the story was superb, the directing was faultless. It looks like a fair few quid was spent on this, yet even it's Gross has been low & I can't fathom why?

Ignore the bad reviews. If you want a really good original horror movie, this will be your bag.

I'll be recommending this movie to all my friends who love a good horror/slasher.

I will happily watch this film again & again.

Thoroughly enjoyable, fun and very dark film.

The film follows a bunch of young tourists from spain as they venture in the magic and mysterious streets of Venice.

The film will have you laughing quite a few times but also it'll have you rooting for the main characters, who will become very human and close to your heart.

The photography and production design is superb as well as its original soundtrack.

Cosimo Fusco, the main antagonist plays two different characters and it's just delicious.

This is a great film that seems half role play game and half slasher. Contains elements of classic Italian and Spanish horror films.

Date to watch it, I promise it won't bore you at all.

I watched this while having the flu. I dont know how I watched the whole movie, I think only because the fever.

I dont understand how the use actual money to make things like this, give me the money and i´ll plant some really good peppers and potatoes on a field.

Its terrible.