The film is beautifully shot and there are even a few moments that took me by surprise in terms of scares. That said, director Michael Chaves does the best he can with what he is given. Writers Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis try their best but honestly, this isn’t their story to tell and it shows through the dialogue as well as the missed opportunities to dive into the origins of La Llorona and the cultural impact that this legend has, and continues to have, within its community. With a legend such as this, I do think it should have been crafted by someone within the Latino community due to the importance that La Llorona has within their culture. However, even though the film has a lot of strengths, it ultimately falls flat in terms of writing. Not only was I looking forward to seeing this terrifying myth come to life on screen, but for audiences to learn about an urban legend from a different part of the world. With picture laid out, I’m sure you can understand why so many people were excited about this film, me being one of them. La Llorona stalks the night in search of children to call her own before ultimately drowning them, with most people claiming to see her in a white gown with a veil covering her face. Legend says that La Llorona must find her sons before crossing over into the afterlife and that if you hear her cries to run in the opposite direction or befall her curse. After realizing what she has done, she searches the river in hopes of finding her sons but the river has claimed them for itself. Otherwise known as the Weeping Woman, the tale centers around a woman who, upon learning of her husband’s infidelities, drowns her children in a fit of blind rage. The folklore surrounding La Llorona is one that I only recently learned of. And there is no escape from the curse of La Llorona. Because there is no peace for her anguish. Beware of her chilling wail…she will stop at nothing to lure you into the gloom. Their only hope to survive La Llorona’s deadly wrath may be a disillusioned priest and the mysticism he practices to keep evil at bay, on the fringes where fear and faith collide. Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm. In 1970s Los Angeles, La Llorona is stalking the night – and the children.
The film stars Linda Cardellini (Netflix’s Bloodline, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Raymond Cruz (TV’s Major Crimes), Patricia Velasquez (TV’s The L Word, The Mummy films), Marisol Ramirez (TV’s NCIS: Los Angeles), Sean Patrick Thomas (the Barbershop films, Halloween: Resurrection), Jaynee-Lynn Kinchen ( Selfless) and newcomer Roman Christou. THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA is the feature film debut from director Michael Chaves which brings to life the terrifying Latin American folklore of La Llorona.