Veronica

Veronica
Starring Sandra Escacena, Bruna Gonzalez, Claudia Placer, Ivan Chavero
Directed by Paco Plaza

There's been several films in history that claim to be the "scariest movie ever made." Films like "The Exorcist," "Halloween," "Hereditary," and "The Conjuring" have all claimed to hold the title, and a scientific report was actually done on the subject, claiming the 2012 horror film "Sinister" is actually the scariest movie ever due to the heartbeat increase in the audience (personally, I disagree - while it's scary and thoughtfully done, it wasn't the scariest ever made). A few years ago, a small Spanish movie called "Veronica" debuted on Netflix with little fanfare, but soon word of mouth spread claiming the film was the scariest movie ever made, which led to a huge uptick in viewership, as well as an unjust criticism of the movie itself. It never made the claim to be the scariest movie ever made, it was given that label by people who said they couldn't finish it because it was so scary, and the proof is in the pudding so to speak - the film boasts an impressive 90% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but an abysmal 49% audience score, probably because they were expecting to see "the scariest movie ever made," but probably found that title lacking. Personally, I don't believe it's the scariest movie ever made, but it's completely unnerving, frightening, and done with expert care by a seasoned director and top-notch young cast.

In 1991, young Veronica (Sandra Escacena) has to be a surrogate mother to her three younger siblings: Lucia (Bruna Gonzalez), Irene (Claudia Placer), and Antonito (Ivan Chavero) after their father's death. Their mother Ana (Ana Torrent) works double and triple shifts at a local bar to support the family, which keeps her away from home most of the time, leaving Veronica to make breakfast for the kids, make sure they get ready for school, and basically perform all the motherly duties. One day at school during a solar eclipse, Veronica and two of her friends decide to hold a seance in the basement with a Ouija board, hoping to speak to Veronica's recently deceased father. Instead they unleash a horrific demon that begins stalking Veronica and assaulting her, threatening her family, and leaving Veronica with little choice but to fight the demon head-on to protect her family.

While "Veronica" does indeed offer some creepy chills and thrills, it doesn't deviate much from the tried-and-true demon possession/haunted house films. Doors creaking open and shut, shadows on the walls, lights flickering, and so on - but it's done with masterful intelligence by acclaimed director Paco Plaza, who directed the first three "[Rec]" films to terrifying success. Dropping the found footage for a more natural direction, he nonetheless continues to induce chills with the creepy demonic being that torments Veronica, and we slowly see in three days the deterioration of a once-bright and lively young girl to a frightened, fearful, paranoid victim.

Newcomer Sandra Escacena dominates the screen as the young Veronica, as we witness this spiral into madness through her eyes, as she performs at a level masterclass way beyond her newcomer status, making you feel for the girl and hope that she manages to find a way to break the curse that she inadvertently invited into her and her family's lives. Escacena was so proficient in her craft that she was nominated for several Spanish awards, winning the Cinema Writers Circle Award and Turia Award for Best New Actress.

To add fuel to the horrifying fire, the film itself is based on a well-known Spanish event. Instead of Veronica, the real-life's girl name was Estefania Guttierez Lazaro, and while most horror films take liberties to make the story more terrifying, after reading the account of what happened, I actually think they toned down the terror in favor of more traditional scares. Its a fascinating story to read, and what makes it so reliable is that it was the first case of paranormal phenomena to be documented in an official police report. The real story lasts longer than the three days depicted in the film, and involves so much more true terror than the movie portrays - which is something rare for a true-life horror film.

While its not the "scariest movie ever made," "Veronica" still manages to induce thrills and chills due to a creepy atmosphere, terrific directing, and exceptional performances by its young cast that'll have you keeping the lights on for several nights following.

The Score: A