15-year-old Alejandro Duran, who comes from a religious Latino family, aspires to one day be a Catholic priest. But when Alex discovers a mysterious box he unwittingly unleashes a demonic spirit bent on possessing him. Alex must find a way to defeat this ancient demon, which has been tormenting children since the dawn of man, before it destroys him and everyone he loves. On the surface, Devil’s Whisper is a supernatural horror film about demonic possession but at its core, it’s a psychological thriller about repressed memories, childhood trauma, and the cycle of abuse.
Title: Devil’s Whisper | Starring: Luca Oriel, Violkys Bustamante, Julie Collins | Release Year: 2017 | Runtime: 1 hr 25 minutes | Language: English, Spanish | Rating: 4 out of 5 | Source: Amazon
Devil’s Whisper Review
Ask and ye shall receive. I wanted to see more male possession and this film miraculously popped up on Amazon. To my pleasant surprise, it is about a Mexican American family with a Latinx cast speaking English and Spanish in the home.
Alejandro is a devout Catholic fifteen-year-old boy that is considering the priesthood. When his deceased grandmother’s belongings arrive at his home, he finds a sealed box hidden in a wardrobe. His father decides to help him open the box with an electric saw as there are no markings to indicate a way to open it. With a lot of effort, they manage to split it open. There is nothing but a loose crucifix.
The boy decides to wear it. His mother is startled when she sees her son wearing the crucifix that her father once wore. She doesn’t want him to have it because her father was a man with a dark side. That darkness has been unleashed once again and wants to claim Alejandro.
I really enjoyed this film. There was not a single female in a dirty, white nightgown strapped to a bed with a priest trying to rid her of a demon. This darkness was far creepier. This curse is something you would not want in your family. A generational curse is an interesting trope that isn’t often utilized, and this film did a great job intertwining the supernatural with a trauma that is very real.
What drew me in was the ability for the film to take a story that could have been anyone, yet they chose to represent Latinx folks. I love that and there needs to be more of that.
I will say the antagonist could have used a bit more imagination, however, the story made up for it. You feel the torment of faith versus flesh as the boy battles a generational curse and pure evil.
This film is a four-star out of five for the unique spin on possession and effort in bringing diversity to the horror game.
V. Castro is a Mexican American writer living in London. She is the author of Maria The Wanted and the Legacy of The Keepers and the forthcoming erotic novella, The Erotic Modern Life of Malinalli The Vampire. When not caring for her children she is writing, exploring London and watching way too much telly. www.vvcastro.com
