Movie Review: Diablo Rojo PTY (2019)

May 14, 2020

Written by DanXIII

Daniel XIII; the result of an arcane ritual involving a King Diamond album, a box of Count Chocula, and a copy of Swank magazine, is a screenwriter, director, producer, actor, artist, and reviewer of fright flicks…Who hates ya baby?

Miguel (Carlos Carrasco, who was also in 1994’s Speed… and should just stay his ass off buses) tools around town in one of the last of the Diablos Rojos; an outrageously painted bus that was once all the rage in public transportation down Panama way. As fate (and the screenplay) wou;d have it; our dude Miguel finds himself balls deep in supernatural shenanigans as late one night he crosses paths with a witch and ends up stranded in the countryside with a few members of the local fuzz and his assistant.

Now that ol’ bus becomes their final stronghold as the forces of evil rise around them and folklore becomes reality. Well, these folks are as good as dead…

Diablo Rojo PTY is a winner for a number of reasons. First of all we get some tried and true horror tropes thrown our way (the secluded locale populated with all manner of hellish creatures, and a hero in waaaay over his head smack of our beloved Evil Dead franchise for starters)… but a curve comes in the evil itself; creatures from the legends of the Panamanian people which are new to the cinematic horror biz.

Another plus is the realization of said grizzly ghoulies; true works of practical effects artistry that really hit the mark for your’s cruelly!

Plus, the titular bus itself is a wonder to behold; a garish explosion of color and art that is truly beautiful… and over the course of the film the vehicle becomes  a character in it’s own right!

Bottom line, if Diablo Rojo PTY is indicative of the terror tales Panama (and filmmakers Sol Moreno and J. Oskura Nájera along with screenplay collaborator Adair Dominguez) have in store for us then we are in very good hands indeed!

 

 

 

Share This Article

You May Also Like…