Molina's Ferozz

Molina's version of the fairy tale combines slasher horror and Cuban black magic in a coming-of-age film that is visually attention-grabbing but ultimately unsatisfying. Unclear events muddle the plot, and a bizarre casting choice diverts attention from the acting.

Incestuous, rape-inciting matriarch Zulma owns the land and shacks where daughter-in-law Dolores and granddaughter Miranda try to avoid her abuse. Dolores longs for attention from her husband's brother, priest/witch doctor Inocencio. Inocencio, however, is struggling to restrain his desire for young Miranda, who is just beginning to explore her budding sexuality. Zulma's son-and-grandson (!) Dully babbles incoherently and spends his time masturbating while spying on women bathing in the river. Ill-defined werewolves roam the woods. When Zulma plots to kick Dolores and Miranda off the land, blood splatters and romance, loosely defined, ensues.

Several plot points are unclear: The link from magic rituals performed by Zulma and by Inocencio to any subsequent events is baffling, especially to those of us not steeped in the lore of Santeria. Dolores may have attempted a spell, too, but that was as clear as mud. An attempt to poison someone is started and then apparently forgotten. And the wolf creature's limited role serves only as a symbolic link to the fairy tale; it's the humans that one should fear.

Casting choices limit our ability to suspend disbelief: Zulma is so glaringly played by a man (Francisco Garcia) that I expected a reason for it. But no, this pink elephant in the room wasn't relevant to the story, and any rational symbolism escapes me. Dayana Legra's portrayal of the young teen, Miranda, is often credible, although the role might have been better played by an age-appropriate actress. It's likely that one very explicit and unusual scene of tender sensuality ruled this out.

Ferozz is not a terrible movie, and its level of gore and sexuality are not, for the most part, exceptional when compared to other modern horror films. It's entertaining enough to watch once, if only to gripe about what could have been done better.

This is by far one of the most disgusting films I've ever seen the grandma is really a man the whole thing is really gnarly. (Not in a good way) I didn't realize the young girl was only 13 that's makes this movie even worse. The beasitality and Pedifile is unreal. I don't know what possessed me to watch this. I was gagging at parts.

Spend you hour watching something else. 😂😂

This might be the first Cuban film I've seen, and I'm pretty sure I didn't start with the most accessible one for mainstream audiences.

Ferozz, a bizarre hybrid of Little Red Riding Hood, Hidden in the Woods, and Brazilian exploitation cinema of its era. A psychopathic grandmother obsessed with her son torments the family's daughters. After the son's death and the grandmother's paralysis, we follow the daily lives of the remaining family members, steeped in violence, incest, and traditions.

That's the bare-bones summary. So, what's the film actually worth? The prologue is a slog, thanks to the grandmother, a textbook example of what not to put in a film if you want it to stay credible. She's straight out of Monty Python's Life of Brian, played completely straight, giving it an instant B-movie cheese vibe that primes you for a gloriously dumb flick with idiotic characters and goofy effects. The exact opposite of what comes next.

Once that part's out of the way, the film gets way more serious and unsettling-way more than I expected. It's a parade of discomfort, with erotic scenes consistently undercut by something grim, often involving family members. The lead actress is meant to be underage in the story, though her real-world adulthood is obvious. Throw in some Cuban voodoo folklore and a heavy dose of Satanism-beast transformations, a stake through the heart, animal sacrifices-and you've got a filthy cocktail that reminded me of Cabrito (a Brazilian film, funny enough) but hits harder, despite the age gap between the two.

I'll skip over two shocking scenes in the second half-one revisiting a taboo heavily used in '70s Brazilian cinema, which I suspect might be real, and another involving an ultra-creepy sex scene with deeply disturbing context.

Ferozz is, against all odds, a twisted gem for my kind of viewing-strictly for seasoned audiences, of course. It's a masterclass in recovering from a colossal misstep and turning it into a vicious, uncompromising underground work.