La pasajera

If you go into this expecting a horror movie with suspense and scares you are going to be disappointed. I don't care for comedy-horror and this is more comedy than horror although it is poor at both. The lead actor is charming and appealing and is the best part of the film. It has character development so it takes a while to get going, but once the horror element finally kicks in it becomes obvious why the film makers didn't go for straight-up horror, they're no good at it. It is never suspenseful, thrilling or even remotely frightening. The pairing of the older lead actor with an actress who appears to be a young teen comes across as a bit inappropriate because it seems at times as if they are going for romantic. As a whole the movie just doesn't work.

Spanish thriller full of horror, humor and fine practical (and some CGI) effects. The monsters look like demonic zombies. There are splatter and some interesting comic shots which I really liked. The directors put a lot of emphasis on their characters, something that makes you care about them (surprisingly there is also heart). Even the 'annoying' snob teenager has managed to make her likable, which is not easy. You won't find bad performances. The driver in particular - a sharp, talkative guy - is a real delight. The film doesn't take itself entirely seriously, but it respects the rules of the genre. For example, when they wants to show a scene of suspense and horror, they won't ruin it by making humor, like in other movies.. An enjoyable hour and a half, I just think it deserved a better climax for the finale.

This movie was a bit of a breath of fresh air. It was different and quirky and possess a nice light hearted air to it.

Aesthetically this movie was a real pleasure. It looked amazing and it it was chock-full of interesting and dynamic shots that I really appreciated. While the quality of the picture was lovely, unfortunately the special effects didn't quite compete. What little CGI there was looked silly and the prosthetics didn't really read super well for me either. The acting seemed great as well coming from an English speaker, I quite enjoyed the main guy.

As far as the story went I felt like it was just barely enough, if not maybe not quite there. The pacing was a little bit slow which didn't help it out all too much. It just didn't really feel like there was much of a point or purpose behind the story other than just being a vehicle for a creature feature.

That being said this really was a pleasurable experience that felt fresh and unique. 6.5 rounding down to a 6, would recommend.

Didn't really love this one. Probably my fault as I was expecting a full horror film and didn't know it is a comedy-horror, a subgenre that I usually need to be prepared in advance for it.

Probably because of the previously mentioned, the comedy bits mostly didn't work for me. Neither the scary parts. I liked however all the technical elements, including the great practical effects (fantastic creature design), the cinematography and the use of sound, integrating so well elements of the local culture. The story is very simple, even if the build-up is a bit too long, but I liked the final act.

The Passenger came as a rather pleasant surprise.

This little Spanish horror comedy makes a lot with very little.

The story is predictable but it works primarily because of the great chemistry between the two lead actors. The proxy, father daughter relationship works well in the context of an end of the world style apocalypse. Both characters spark off one another in a positive, hopeful way, as this comedic horror romp, plays out.

In summary, the Passenger just goes to show that a decent story and quality acting, more than make up for a big bucks production. Well worth a look.