At least the third in a recent group of fear-fare films dealing with the “weeping woman” ghost from Mexican folklore, The Legend of La Llorona is well made but fails to deliver any original shudders.
Carly Candlewood (Autumn Reeser) reluctantly goes on a trip to Mexico with her husband Andrew (Antonio Cupo) and their young son Danny (Nicolas Madrazo), which Andrew has planned so that he and his wife might reconnect both emotionally and physically after the death of their baby girl. As cinematic fate would have it, their lodging is a mere short walk away from the stomping grounds of the titular spirit, who seeks out children to replace the one she lost in life.
Jose Prendes’ screenplay has some issues, including the relationship and dialogue between Carly and Andrew. Both characters come off initially as highly unlikable — she as an over-the-top characterization of a grieving mother and he as a selfish, hard-headed jerk — and by the time their arcs start to change, the generic plot has washed away most interest in the proceedings. The secondary characters are not much more entertaining, unless viewers come to this film jonesing for Danny Trejo blasting away with guns — which brings up another head-scratching point I had with the film: Why is a ghost affected by bullets?
On the plus side, Patricia Harris Seeley’s direction is solid and the main cast members turn in good performances. There are some creepy visuals on hand, as well.
Ultimately, The Legend of La Llorona is more melodramatic thriller than outright horror, as aficionados of supernatural horror will have seen everything on offer before.
The Legend of La Llorona, from Sabin Films, opens in select theaters on Friday, January 7, 2022, and will be available On Demand and Digital on Tuesday, January 11.
