The Curse of La Llorona-2019

Director Michael Chaves

Starring Linda Cardellini

Scott’s Review #937

Reviewed August 29, 2019

Grade: C+

The Curse of La Llorona (2019) is a modern-day horror flick that possesses all the standard and expected trimmings that a genre film of this ilk usually has.

The story is left undeveloped, with many possibilities unexplored in favor of a by-the-numbers experience.

Linda Cardellini, an outstanding actress, consistently exceeds the material she is given, yet she often comes up empty-handed.

It is the sixth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise.

The film does have jumps and frights galore, and a creepy ghost/spirit character that is scary, but more was expected from this film, which left me ultimately disappointed.

First-time director Michael Chaves is a novice, so a bit of leniency should be given as he develops a limited product, but he could have a strong future ahead of him if he works on story elements rather than focuses on merely scare tactics.

In 1673, in Mexico, a family happily plays in a field when one of the boys suddenly witnesses his mother drowning his brother, and soon suffers the same fate.

This incident becomes part of Mexican folklore and is subsequently feared by many. In present times (1973), caseworker Anna (Cardellini) is sent to investigate a woman who has locked her two sons in a room. Despite the woman’s claims that she is trying to save their lives, Anna brings them into police custody.

When the boys are later found drowned, the woman curses Anna, whose two young children are now in danger.

The positives are that Chaves makes a competent film. It is not bad and provides a level of familiarity, with creaking doors, cracking mirrors, and an evil spirit named “The Weeping Woman” that are effective and provide a scare or two at just the right moments.

Characters frequently see the spirit through a reflection, and since the film is set almost entirely at night, this tactic is successful.

Cardellini, garnering recent fame for her role in the Oscar-winning film Green Book (2018), undoubtedly signed on for The Curse of La Llorona before all the Oscar wins.

The actress gives it her all but can hardly save the film, though she does provide the professionalism that raises the film above a terrible experience. Not nearly enough praise will be given to the young child actors playing Anna’s kids.

Largely one-note and lacking any evident experience, ironically, they mirror Chavez’s inexperience. They react to the scenes as they are directed, but never add any depth or authenticity to their performances.

Besides Cardellini and the horror elements, The Curse of La Llorona lacks much shine or substance. The plot and characters are forgettable, and the viewer is left shrugging their shoulders once the film concludes, essentially forgetting the production thirty minutes later.

The story, based on folklore, is weak.

The audience is expected to believe the spirit killed her children and now roams the earth looking for other sacrificial pairs of children so that she may bring hers back from the dead?

In one perplexing sequence, the Weeping Woman softens when looking at Anna’s kids, her demonic face reveals how she once was a beautiful woman. She suddenly changes course and reverts to the evil spirit she had been.

Granted, the special effects are impressive, but this is one example of a missed opportunity. Why couldn’t we be given a meatier backstory of the motivations of the woman?

Other misses include the 1970s Los Angeles period, featuring a feathered hairstyle and a tight sweater worn by Anna, a clip of an old television show, and a car or two overlooking the City of Angels, which hardly appreciates the decade or the metropolis.

Especially laughable are the modern hairstyles and looks of the children, including the kid from the seventeenth century.

Any connection to The Conjuring (2013) or Annabelle (2014) is limited, as one character (Father Perez), appearing briefly holding the Annabelle doll, barely warrants mention.

The Curse of La Llorona (2019) may only be a blueprint of what director Chaves can build on in his career, and a bright future for him is not out of the question.

Building on the Conjuring franchise is a good place to start with a specific audience, who are sure to see this film. He should focus on developing his basics and creating films with more depth, character development, twists, and turns.