A bilingual, multi-cultural take on horror
Madelyn Pryor | Mesa, AZ United States | 01/27/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Santeria is unique and interesting because it is both horror movie and cultural experience. It isn't the fastest paced horror movie available, nor is it the most frightening. It is a bilingual horror movie, thick with a mix of Catholicism, Santeria, and even Mayan faiths.
The story surrounds a young boy, Ricky, who sees visions of the Virgin Mary. Many in his community rally around him, believing that he is receiving a miracle. However others, including his perhaps mentally unstable cousin Sara, believe something far more sinister is happening. Others aren't sure what is happening, and the end of the film, it's most shocking sequence, doesn't provide easy answers.
One major downfall of the film is it's slow start. The first twenty minutes are, quite frankly, boring. If you can make it through, you're rewarded with a very fun, interesting horror movie for the next hour. It isn't polished by any means, and the special effects are pretty third rate- no big budget blockbuster here. What the film lacks in polish it makes up in heart. It's apparently a labor of love. The acting isn't bad at all, and the plot interesting.
All and all, this is a fun and entertaining horror movie, but because of the slow start and the bilingual aspect, it might not be for everyone. This is more `artistic' than `horrific' yet it's still good.
Recommended for those in the mood for a different sort of horror movie.
"
Horrible
J. Mccray | Phila,PA | 05/14/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I like watching Independent Films but this was just crappy. Cinematography sucked...storyline made a mockery of Catholicism. Even the sound sucked. You could barely hear the people! Waste of the 1.95 I paid for it."
Not worth a penny....
Sandra Novotny | Arizona | 01/27/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)
"This was strange (but not in a good way,) hard to follow, disjointed and frankly... rather boring :( Not what I expected in the least. I thought this would have something to do with the Santerian religion, but it did not."