Veronica (2017)

I had recently heard that the new horror film on Netflix Veronica was supposed to be so scary that the majority of people who watched it, had to turn it off half way through. Now it did have it's scary moments but it was not as bad as all that. It was a very put together and thought out film that delivered on both scares and competency. Paco Plaza's based on true events film was a very welcome surprise that I was not that well aware of. It was not covered in cliches which always is a nice touch in modern day horror.

At it's roots Veronica is a Ouija board experiment gone wrong. This has come up multiple times in movies, including Paranormal Activity as well as it's own two movies based just on the Hasbro game. But what Veronica does different is it involves different elements into it. Veronica (played by Sandra Escacena) and her friends decide to try to contact her dead father and a deceased boyfriend on the solar eclipse back in Madrid, Spain 1991. After the seance, it seems that Veronica has brought something back from the nether-realm and it has attached itself to her.  Now it is up to her to try to save herself and her siblings from certain death and damnation. Not a bad little story right? Especially when at the beginning it gives the "Based on a True Story" disclaimer.

What makes this movie work so well is the use of atmosphere. It really does not do a whole lot of explaining what has followed her or why it is doing these things. It seems like Plaza knew that everyone is already aware of this type of movie so why waste time on things we already know. The use of shadows and music really helps this film. It's almost as if you start to search for things to jump out but when nothing does you still feel that satisfaction of your body tensing up. Sure this movie had its fair amounts of jump scares in it but I feel that it was able to maintain a level of uneasiness all throughout.

What Veronica also does well is as the movie is setting up the story with exposition, it still maintains a really good pace and keeps you intrigued throughout the whole thing. You are already shown the situation the house becomes at the very beginning but it is almost as if, even though you know the end, you are interested in the journey. I did not see the the ending coming though. They changed it up and only showed enough at the beginning to where you wanted to know what happened.

Does this film have a deeper meaning to it though? What was Plaza trying to tell the audience? I personally believe he just wanted to make a scary movie loosely based on a true story. I looked up the original story and the only thing that this is based on is names and a few pictures basically. Although that was a little disappointing, I was still really thrilled by how much I enjoyed this movie. Especially after most of the moronic horror movies that have come out of late. Definitely a recommend but don't expect for this to be unwatchable because it's so scary. Just a fun delight in its 1 hour and 45 minute runtime.

Grade: B+

Genre: Horror

Cast: Sandra Escacena, Bruna Gonzales, Claudia Placer

Rated: MA

Director: Paco Plaza