Maybe there is a vengeful supernatural force haunting the Monteverde family in La Llorona – or maybe (as usual) the greatest evil simply lies within the hearts of men. To call La Llorona a horror film would imply it will scare you – it will not – rather, it's a slow-burning psychological thriller with whiffs of the nether realms.
That’s not to say it’s not an insightful dive into the bloody genocide of Guatemala’s indigenous Maya. Directed by Jayro Bustamante, La Llorona opens with the trial and mistrial of the now senile Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz), a former general who oversaw the slaughter of the Maya 30 years prior. His wife, Carmen, (Margarita Kenéfic) keeps a stiff upper lip while daughter Natalia (Sabrina De La Hoz) is far more suspicious of her father’s actions.
Even before the trial’s verdict is settled, strange happenings begin to occur throughout the Monteverde estate, causing all but one of the Indigenous household staff to resign. To fill the domestic void, the only remaining staff member, Valeriana (María Telón), sends word to her village asking for workers, resulting in the arrival of the quiet, stony-eyed Alma (María Mercedes Coroy).
Bustamante has a low-key approach to horror: he maintains suspense through liberal use of shadows (this family seems most active during the witching hour) and scenes that might be paranormal – or they might not be. The Hispanic la llorona myth gets an interesting flip from its folklorish origins, and while audiences are graciously given closure by the time credits roll, there are still a few niggling loose threads (what happened to Natalia’s husband?!). Overall, La Llorona offers a sense of justice for those wronged and a sense of compassion for those involuntarily connected to the culprits.