Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Curse of la Llorona Blu-ray Movie Review

The Curse of La Previsibilidad.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 10, 2019

Director Michael Chaves’ debut feature The Curse of La Llorona is influenced by the Mexican legend of the same name. The movie introduces the basic principle -- grieving mother drowns her children back in 1673 and proceeds to haunt/attack people thereafter -- but those wanting a little more of a proper introduction can check out the ever-dependable Wikipedia entry here. It's a proper story fit for a "Horror" movie but the result is an expectedly dull translation that plays it safe, relies almost entirely on cheap jump scares and recycled atmospherics rather than work to build true stomach-churning terror, and fails to build anything resembling a worthwhile narrative or develop engaging characters. The movie is loosely connected to the Conjuring universe but it's a far cry from that series' original instant classic, either in terms of story or quality of film.

In 1973 Los Angeles, a caseworker named Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) finds two children locked in their mother Patricia's (Patricia Velásquez) closet. They are afraid of “her,” the children tell Anna, but “her” is not their mother. When the children turn up dead soon afterwards, Patricia is arrested for their murder. Patricia blames Anna for loosing the children into the clutches of a mythical figure known as “La Llorona.” As Anna further investigates the case, her children, Chris (Roman Christou) and Sam (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen), now find themselves hunted by the very same supernatural force, and they bear the wounds of their encounters with La Llorona. Anna becomes the subject of investigation; it is believed it is she who is abusing her children, not the ghostly and ghastly supernatural figure. Now, Anna must set aside any preconceptions and dodge authorities if she is to stand a chance to save her family.

The movie goes through the motions, perhaps surprisingly given its loose connection to The Conjuring, a movie that managed to overcome the temptations and traps of trope and do something special in a fairly crowded and unimaginative field that, admittedly, works well enough to keep raking in the cash. On the other hand, La Llorona is more than happy to oblige audiences looking for more of the same: a stale plot line and recycled technical constructs and, of course, jump “scares” galore. It’s entirely disposable, predictable, and without a feel for anything resembling purposeful moviemaking or storytelling. The characters are entirely one dimensional, and the list goes on. It’s not really worth digging up everything the movie does wrong. It’s a universal list shared by so many others that are as equally disposable and forgettable as this.

The movie’s technical construction is polished, even if its atmosphere is nothing special. It’s primarily built within various low light and to some degree spartan locations, even around houses and bathrooms which allow the action to breathe a bit. The movie looks good and the title villain, which appears frequently and fully, has an appropriate look of terror to it, interestingly juxtaposed with the flowing white attire that suggests purity but that actually hides the monster underneath. The acting is capable for this variety of movie. There’s a palpable sense of fear in faces as necessary with a growing character appreciation for the evil they face throughout the movie. The actors carry the essential physical requirements well, too, which often includes lurking through darkened locales and screaming with believable terror when they come into contact with the titular baddie.

The Curse of la Llorona Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Curse of la Llorona's Blu-ray presentation is typical of contemporary digitally shot productions of modest budget appearing on the 1080p format. Low light noise is commonplace, obvious first in Patricia's apartment in the opening minutes. It's a swarming, dense noise that approaches a level of distraction, particularly as it dominates backgrounds. It is never again quite so dense but it's a constant companion throughout the film. The movie is built around low-light locations. Shadow details and black levels are not super tight but are effective enough in supporting the atmosphere. Colors aren't glossy or showy, which does at least conjure up a feel for the 1970s aesthetic, supporting that vintage period setting. But even in lower light, there's a lot to like about La Llorona's eyes, dress, and makeup, which are also highlighted by the transfer's textural adeptness. It's generally sharp and well defined, showcasing essential skin and clothing textures and various environments with ease. This is a well-rounded presentation that is probably about the best 1080p/SDR can handle for the presentation style.

The Curse of la Llorona Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Curse of la Llorona features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Listeners will enjoy some solid atmospherics in the 17th century Mexico opening when a young boy search out his mother and discovers something horrible; it's a nice blend of eerie and subtle that supports the scene quite well. The track finds more intense and engaging audio throughout, including in an early scene in Patricia's apartment when a tussle yields several crashes and other resultant high impact sounds in several discrete locations around the stage. The overhead channels offer regular top end engagement, perhaps most noticeable in some of the gentler sonic details like rolling thunder in chapter three and again in chapter seven (which also includes some driving rain effects surrounding the listener). Music includes the usual stringy shrieks accompanying the jump scares but also plenty of full-stage stretch and might with major subwoofer integration at times, such as during a bathroom attack around the 52-minute mark. All of the "action/horror" type scenes are accompanied by similarly large output. Dialogue is clear and detailed from its natural front-center home, whether hushed whispers or piercing screams and shouts. It is well prioritized for the duration.

The Curse of la Llorona Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Curse of la Llorona contains three featurettes, deleted scenes, and storyboard comparisons. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• The Myth of La Llorona (1080p, 2:29): Cast and crew share their knowledge of La Llorona folklore, intercut with clips from the film.
• Behind the Curse (1080p, 9:43): Discussions include the classic story and translating it to the screen, Michael Chaves' direction, the film's connection to the Conjuring universe, characters, cast and performances, props and aesthetics, and more. The piece is built around interviews, film clips, and behind-the-scenes footage.
• The Making of a Movie Monster (1080p, 5:53): A short but detailed exploration of making and performing the title character.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 11:10 total runtime): included are Raphael's Shop; Christ Shoot, Cooper, Lock-Up Gun; Extended Welfare Check; Patricia Enters House; Warren's Hand Off; and Church Ending.
• Storyboards (1080p, 17:32): Several finished scenes are juxtaposed against conceptual hand-drawn storyboards.

The Curse of la Llorona Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Curse of la Llorona is genre chum. It's bait for date night, serving up nothing of real cinematic resonance or able to find anything of dramatic creativity or character novelty. It's a string of jump scares through dark locations loosely held together by something resembling a plot. It's not at all frightening, though perhaps those with less exposure to the genre or paint-by-numbers film might find it a little spooky. For movie veterans, though, it's a hard pass. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray offers nothing enticing, either. Like the movie it's competently presented but nothing out of the ordinary in terms of video and audio presentations or supplemental quantity or quality. Rent it.