Review of movie The Curse Of The Weeping Woman

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Rating:3/5

Anna Garcia (Linda Cardellini) is a social worker raising her two children Samantha (Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen) and Chris (Roman Christou) as a single parent because her husband was killed on duty as a police officer. Anna is investigating a case involving Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Velasquez) when she comes across a supernatural element which begins to haunt her family. As she seeks help, she comes across a faith healer Rafael Olvera (Raymond Cruz). Rafael and Anna now must defend her kids from the wrath of La Llorona. 

Here’s an interesting concept, because it plays on the innate fear every parent has – the fear of losing their kids. Linda Cardellini channelises this in Anna’s determination to protect her kids. Raymond Cruz is also quite effective as Rafael, a faith healer who used to be a priest. He’s tasked with a lot of the spell casting and chanting; not only does he do that with conviction, but he also brings some much-needed humour into the script, and he has his moments. Patricia Velasquez as Patricia Alvarez has a significant role to play, and she’s also adept at playing a mentally disturbed woman. The evil spirit itself - La Llorona, the weeping woman, played by Marisol Ramirez has a spooky appearance and intimidating presence when she’s on screen.

But that effect wears off pretty quickly because this is a horror film, and it makes sure to keep reminding you with all its screeching and creaking sound design, often resorting to the predictable jump scare treatment. What makes it even more frustrating is that the exposition is on the nose, because it must explain the backstory of the Weeping Woman. This is done in such an obvious way that makes the film drag between the scary scenes. With that, all the potential from this film goes flying out of the window, and you’re left with yet another horror film. The actors try to work their best with the shoddy material, but it’s not quite enough. Those who get scared easily will get spooked anyway; those who want more from their horror films will be left craving for that.