The Wailing

El llanto, the feature debut of Pedro Martín-Calero, is a psychological horror thriller that strays from genre conventions to immerse the viewer in an unsettling and fragmented experience. Co-written with Isabel Peña (a frequent collaborator of Rodrigo Sorogoyen), the film draws inspiration from Asian horror cinema, relying on an oppressive atmosphere and a nonlinear narrative structure that heightens the sense of mystery.

Divided into three distinct segments, the story follows Andrea (Ester Expósito), Marie (Mathilde Ollivier), and Camila (Malena Villa), three women who, in different times and places-present-day Madrid and 1990s La Plata-are haunted by an invisible presence that only they can perceive. This entity manifests itself through a chilling sound: a cry. As the film progresses, the puzzle pieces begin to fit together, suggesting that trauma and curses can transcend time.

From its striking opening scene in a nightclub, which employs strobe effects to create disorientation, El llanto establishes its eerie tone. The film's cinematography and sound design play a crucial role in immersing the audience, making atmosphere its greatest strength. It also cleverly incorporates technology as a bridge between the supernatural and the everyday, with on-screen text messages serving as a key tool for revealing what the human eye cannot see.

However, the film prioritizes mood over narrative clarity, which may frustrate viewers looking for a more conventional or closed-ended story. Certain moments can feel perplexing due to the lack of direct explanations, though this ambiguity also adds to its enigmatic nature.

Another intriguing element is the recurring presence of a building that seems to serve as the origin or portal for the entity stalking the protagonists. Its appearance in both cities suggests that this force transcends physical space, manifesting in different locations while maintaining a singular essence.

Ultimately, El llanto is an ambitious take on psychological horror, offering a visual and auditory experience that generates a constant sense of unease. While its structure and atmosphere-driven approach may not appeal to everyone, those willing to embrace its mystery will find it as haunting as it is captivating.

Well not really, I am referring to the Netflix TV show Ester was starring in. I almost did not recognize her. Different hair - and while I wouldn't say she tried to downplay how pretty she is, I think most can agree that her character is not dressed in a fashion that would even resemble the hotness she was attributed in the show I mentioned or what the media made of it (her).

All that said, the movie is not just about her. Actually it is about ... well the movie can be seen and read in many different ways. There is a reason I made the It follows reference in the summary headline - no pun intended by the way in case you missed me writing it.

As much as the movie is able to conjure and really set a mood ... it also seems to try to break its own logic time and time again. The apartment being one of those things that do not seem to make sense (in the confined bubble and with the "world" it exists within that is of course).

Don't cry for me ... or wail for me that is ... unless you really are feeling it ... the effects are good and if you don't mind some of its messaging, the movie is able to unnerve and frighten you for sure .. just let if flow over you ... if possible.

Not what I expect. Boring,slowpaced and unscary at all. The only time something happen is at the last 10 minutes and last like 3 minutes. Really?

It should be shorter than I would waste least time with that trash. And they even left the ending with possibility for another one. I don't even know what they try to accomplish with this movie. Come on. Horror? Like that it isn't. If possible don't waste your time. It really has one conection between the three of them.

Uncompeling characters,like the second one thinking it's making good movies. Just like writters,directors and actors in this movie possibly believed was making something good,but not. Bad movie thats what this is.

Director Pedro Martín-Calero debuts with the psychological thriller and haunting horror El Llanto, The Wailing for international audiences, perhaps solidifying his entry into the horror industry. The film, though winning a Best Director Award for Pedro, is strong on the horror aspect but convoluted.

The story follows three timelines closely linked by a haunting cry of despair. Unbeknowst to them, their stories are connect through a horrible presence tied to an eerie building.

Slow-driven, The Wailing is strong on its direction drive and cinematography. Creepy and scary at times, for real, and super solid in terms of depicting different timelines at different time eras.

The not-so-good points have to do with the storyline itself. It felt open and holes seem to creep into the plot points, some actions and events too broad for our understanding, culminating into a main protagonist that is completely absent of a concrete backstory.

The Wailing might be refreshing in some aspects, but leaves us a bit too much in the dark with what is going on and has happened in past events, much of this due to a lack of clear exposition into the main antagonists past and intents. Solid in keeping us on the edge, but lacking in cohesion.

Producing something that comes from fragments of other cinematic creations is not always so easy. Often ideas, strategies and even narrative clichés borrowed from other films may be present, but the result may be poor and forgettable. So knowing how to bring together and assemble fragments of the genre's history is important to avoid the obvious and yet another film that will go unnoticed both in theaters and on streaming services.

Spanish director Pedro Martín-Calero seems to have been inspired by some films of the genre to direct The Cry of Evil (El Llanto, 2024). Examples: By bringing something that insistently pursues the characters, we can remember the tension that was the excellent It Follows (2014). Andrea and Camila's constant filming during the narrative refers to the Found Footage culture (we know very well what it is like to be apprehensive that something will appear on the screen before our eyes).

The film tells the story of three women: Andrea (Ester Expósito), Camila (Malena Villa) and Marie (Mathilde Olivier). Divided into three acts, the film explores the lives of these characters when they are faced with an evil entity that is chasing them.

Let's say that Pedro works with several themes in his production, but he doesn't use them as a driving force for the narrative to move forward. Seclusion, machismo, isolation, and the separation of families are all mixed together in many scenes that, more than just scare us, serve to warn us about some evils that also scare us in society.

The modestly produced film has a touch of amateurism, perhaps even on purpose. But it manages to contribute to intensifying the retro, dark and desolate atmosphere of the story, as in Camila's passage that takes place in 1978.

One of the secrets here was to include resources that create tension in the viewer, such as the entrance to a dark and abandoned building that echoes people's cries or even Camilla's camera that insists on being out of focus in some shots. The director opts for external and internal settings that generally cause discomfort, often due to the lack of lighting, or sometimes due to the feeling of claustrophobia that it conveys.

Although the act involving Andrea is the most impactful, Pedro weaves the three acts together well, creating a correct and believable sequence for a stunning ending that culminates in a film that has an open ending, perhaps setting the stage for a sequel.