Veronica: Is it worth the hype?  

 

 

“Netflix’s new horror movie that’s scaring people into turning it off…”

“Veronica: uncovering the true story behind Netflix’s scariest film”

“The true story behind Veronica, Netflix’s ‘scariest movie ever’”  

 

Needless to say, after skimming through the aforementioned news article titles, my curiosity was peaked. Finally! Something actually scary, sign me up!  I mean look at this image being shared on Facebook!

And we all know that everything shared on Facebook is 100% true.

 

Alas, to my horror, the most terrifying part of this film is how easily it tricked it tricked the internet into thinking it was the “scariest movie ever”.

 

 

Obviously, the advertising for this film was a heavily orchestrated marketing ploy by (I’m assuming) Netflix to pique viewer’s interest. But don’t let that dissuade you because this is technically a good film! It’s a perfectly acceptable demon possession horror film that you can have some fun with and then likely forget about a few hours later.

 

The story and characters were really engaging; the relationship between Veronica and her siblings was particularly enjoyable. However, while the backstory and familial struggle added to the dramatic elements of the film, which were very much it’s strong suit, the set-up was generally similar to other demonic possession films. The three-day countdown layout was a nice touch in building suspense towards the denouement of the film as each haunting occurrence intensified. And there were definitely some fun horror sequences in this movie (Who doesn’t love a little cannibalism and the cringe inducing sound of dinner utensils against teeth?). But in the end, it just fell a little flat.

 

 

The most intriguing part of the film is that it was loosely based on a real occurence, they even included some fascinating clips and images from the real life police report. You can actually google what is now referred to as the “Vallecas Case” to see scans from the supposed paranormal event in 1990.

 

My score: 6.5/10.  This is definitely a decent horror film for the general population. However, for the more seasoned horror fan, the internet hype and mediocre CGI took made it not particularly memorable. The build up was creepy and well-done, the cinematography and sound design were beautiful, but if you are expecting an intensely terrifying climax of the story, you will be ultimately let down.   

 

My recommendation: If you are itching for a truly creepy demon possession flick, look no further than the original Exorcist or even the more modern Conjuring series. But if you want to REALLY get into some fucked up demon shit, I suggest skipping the movies and going straight to some source material. Pick up a copy of “The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren” and educate yourself on the Warren’s professionally documented demonic infestations.

 

 

Written by Barbie Bloodgloss