Here Comes The Devil (Ahi Va El Diablo) #MovieReview

A married couple lose their children while on a family trip near some caves in Tijuana. The kids eventually reappear without explanation, but it becomes clear that they are not who they used to be, that something terrifying has changed them.

Title: Here Comes The Devil (Ahi Va El Diablo)
Starring: Laura Caro, Francisco Barreiro, Michele Garcia 
Runtime: 1 hr 37 min | Release Date: 2012 | Rating: 4 out of 5 Space Krakens

Here Comes the Devil (Ahi Va El Diablo)

Culture defines us. The tales we are told when we are young shape our world view. Since I can remember, the superstitious entrenched in pagan roots and Catholicism have felt like oil and vinegar. Both are at odds with one another, however, together they create something else that has always been a part of my upbringing. Even as they intermingle, you can clearly see and taste both elements. I was always told there is God and there is the Devil, but I also have experienced Ojo, the evil eye, that could only be cured through a small ritual. La Virgen is revered as a Goddess. Demons also exist as they lie in wait for us.

I will warm potential viewers that this film is VERY sexual from the opening scene all the way through as it grapples with themes of sin, good vs evil, revenge, purity and weakness. If you are sensitive to this, maybe give it a pass.

A normal two parent family with two children, a boy and girl roughly the same age of about 12, are enjoying a family day out. They stop at a local service station because the girl has experienced her first menstrual cycle. After taking a short break, the children ask their parents to explore the local hillside. Seeking time alone, the parents agree to let them go. The kids run off and the parents share an intimate moment before falling asleep in their car. They are awakened by the setting sun and the realisation the children have not returned. A frantic search is called until the siblings are finally found, however, the children seem distant and unsettled. As their behaviour becomes increasingly odd the parents begin to believe someone took them while they were missing and potentially abused them. They have a suspect in mind. As it turns out, the truth is far more sinister.

The film has a gritty feel like El Mariachi, another Mexican film that happens to be fantastic, albeit not horror. The style is simple, some would call it low budget because the special effects are not the least bit sophisticated. But here’s the thing about small budget horror: the creators make up for lack of sophistication in daring twisted storytelling. And this story is VERY twisted. It claws at your base fears as a parent. It addresses taboos. Is the evil in the world or inside of us more dangerous?

The story pushes boundaries to make you feel not just creeped out but extremely uncomfortable. I like fresh takes on old tropes, even if at times this film appears cheap. There is an authenticity here that I liked. Even though it is only from 2012, it has an old school vibe.

Yes, there is a lot shown regarding sex and nudity, but it’s what is not shown that gets your mind turning over the terrible mystery.

Four out of Five!