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Constanza Gutierrez as “Griselda” in the Horror film Rosario, a Mucho Mas Releasing release. Photo courtesy of Mucho Mas Releasing.

Rosario is a body horror film, with a dead body and a possible curse from an Afro-Cuban religion, Palo Mayombe, at the heart of it. While director Felipe Vargas’ Rosario has an interesting basic idea, the cast is good and it does have some great practical effects, the script by Alan Trezza does not live up to the idea’s potential. Too often the main character does those same dumb things everyone seemed to do in 1970s horror films, time and again, letting curiosity overcome fear and dumb ideas bulldoze common sense. And much of what happens seems to be there just to set up the next horror effect. Admittedly, those practical effects are very good but you have to have a story that makes sense too.

That main character is named Rosario,...

Creepy crawl space. Rotting witch’s corpse. David Dastmalchian looking for his air fryer. One of those things is not like the others, but Muchas Mas Releasing’s “Rosario” is a supernatural horror flick you’ve mostly seen before. “The Late Night with the Devil” actor appears in a supporting role here for the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Felipe Vergas. Dastmalchian’s slippery presence as the super-weird Joe — a clammy neighbor who maybe shouldn’t let an old woman borrow his kitchen appliance next time — both undercuts and strengthens this strange script from Alan Trezza.

Doomed to amuse audiences through funniness or fear, maybe forever, Dastmalchian can awkwardly hover in a hallway like no other performer. Still, there’s more than his role as a potential red herring in Vergas’ witchy look at heritage and grief to recommend it. Actress Emeraude Toubia stars as the title character, who goes by “Rose” instead of “Rosario.

A familial curse rears its ugly head after a death in the family in Rosario, the feature directorial debut by Felipe Vargas (Milk Teeth). The curse itself acts as a familiar horror conduit to explore generational trauma and cultural divides, employing conventional jump scare tactics, loud music stings, and supernatural freakouts in fairly predictable fashion. Yet the serviceable, safe horror feature still serves as a solid enough calling card for Vargas, who’s already lined up his next feature, thanks to solid direction, suitably grimy production design, and the type of creature design and practical effects that would feel at home in a Sam Raimi joint.

Rosario, the film’s title character, gets introduced as a teen in a prologue set shortly after her First Communion. It’s a whirlwind of expositional setup that hints toward her mother’s serious illness, grandmother’s Palo faith, and a divorce custody arrangement...

Many modern horror movies chuck terrifying visuals at the audience for effect rather than symbolism. But not Rosario. Instead, this tidy terrifier acts as an extended metaphor for real-life fears, dealing with the themes of regret, guilt, and sacrifice. By the end of it, you may feel frustrated with certain characters’ actions, but there will be a deeper and clear understanding about their motivations. Directed by Felipe Vargas from a script written by Alan Trezza, Rosario centers around Rosario “Rose” Fuentes (Emeraude Toubia). She’s a successful Wall Street stockbroker who lives the good life. One day, she receives several missed calls from her estranged grandmother, Griselda (Constanza Gutierrez). Eventually, Rose picks up and finds out from her grandmother’s landlord, Marty (Paul Ben-Victor), that Griselda is dead. Rose heads over to the apartment to wait for the ambulance to fetch her grandmother’s body, but a major snowstorm sees her locked in.