La llorona

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2:22

La llorona

2019

1h 37m

Crime

Drama

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

94 Reviews

61%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Alma is murdered with her children during a military attack in Guatemala, but when the general who ordered the genocide is found not guilty 30 years later, Alma returns to the world of the living to torment the man.

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Critics Consensus

La Llorona puts a fresh spin on the familiar legend by blending the supernatural and the political to resolutely chilling effect.

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Anna Smith

Deadline Hollywood Daily

While there are moments of effective suspense, this isn't shooting for a typical horror tone. The terrors of this film are the realities of genocide -- for indigenous women in particular.

Mar 11, 2021

Full Review

Valerie Complex

AwardsWatch

The cast has an unprecedented chemistry that is held together by actress Maria Mercedes Coroy and her incredible on screen presence.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 27, 2020

Full Review

Carolina A. Miranda

Los Angeles Times

"La Llorona" avoids the tropes of horror... Instead, this smart and elegant film feels like a languid bit of cinematic magical realism where strange things happen - and the real horror lies not in the supernatural but in the savage acts of men.

Aug 19, 2020

Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

Using his home country’s tragic history as a backdrop, Guatemalan director Jayro Bustamante’s horror story is filled with political commentary and indigenous folk.

Feb 14, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

You get the sense something otherworldly is going on, but Bustamante maintains a savvy ambiguity and never loses sight of his deeper aim – to lay bare his home country’s bloody and oppressive past.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2022

Full Review

Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

Without delving into mysticism, the film delivers great suspense supported in acting, sound and the beauty of not showing too much. I was amazed this genre-bending movie was actually a success. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7/10

Jun 23, 2022

Full Review

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Kyle M

While most flicks would depict the La Llorona tale as a jolty, nonsensical conduit for “scares”, the approach here seems more reverent and proper, weaving through political contexts in punishing one for his sins in a psychological matter. However, it was unfortunately misleading when setting up fearful expectations only to find this comparably bland albeit very few minor kicks. (B-)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/01/24

Full Review

Alec B

Its a little obvious but at least that leads to a certain admirable bluntness to the narrative.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Hugo S

A former dictator is accused of the brutal genocide of a native community during the Guatemalan Civil War. During trial, the retired general lives with his family in seclusion, while the protestants manifest outside their mansion. "La Llorona" is a psychological drama focused on a family tormented by the sins of the past. A social analysis of a country's bloody past.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/24

Full Review

Markus S

It's like these typical pretencious new exorcism movies that try to find a new way to jumpscare the fuck out of you every X minutes, and make people terrified for the haunting atmosphere they're in. In here, it gets repetitive, you know that the ghost comes everytime there's no music, it's perfectly predictable, but still, it succeeded to entertain me, at least. 6/10.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/19/23

Full Review

Tracey T

The acting was terrible and overall movie was a bore

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/23

Full Review

dave d

Possibly my first Guatemalan horror film, this version of La llorona touches on issues in Guatemala while also trying to maintain the viewer's attention and it doesn't always succeed. This is more supernatural than horror, and as the backstory builds, it is a slog. The pacing is slow and at only 99 minutes it felt like significantly longer. Perhaps this is more for the people in the county of origin, but you also need a little of the backstory of La llorona. Learning those details after watching the feature left me empty. Final Score: 5/10

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Jayro Bustamante

Director

María Mercedes Coroy

Alma

Sabrina De La Hoz

Natalia

Margarita Kénefic

Carmen

Julio Diaz

Enrique

María Telón

Valeriana

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La llorona: Trailer 1

2:22

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Synopsis

Alma is murdered with her children during a military attack in Guatemala, but when the general who ordered the genocide is found not guilty 30 years later, Alma returns to the world of the living to torment the man.

Director: Jayro Bustamante
Producer: Jayro Bustamante, Gustavo Matheu, Georges Renand, Marina Peralta
Screenwriter: Jayro Bustamante, Lisandro Sanchez
Production Co: El Ministerio de Cultura Y Deportes de Guatamala, Les Films du Volcan, La Casa de Production
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2020
Runtime: 1h 37m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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