When Evil Lurks

Play trailer

2:10

When Evil Lurks

Released Oct 6, 2023

1h 39m

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

118 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse -- its very proximity poisoning the local livestock -- they attempt to evict the victim from their land. Failing to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism, their reckless actions inadvertently trigger an epidemic of possessions across their rural community. Now they must outrun an encroaching evil as it corrupts and mutilates everyone it is exposed to, and enlist the aid of a wizened "cleaner," who holds the only tools that can stop this supernatural plague.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

A hard-hitting horror film whose surface-level frights are just as engaging as its thematic concerns, When Evil Lurks marks a viscerally unsettling addition to the possession horror canon.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Says

When Evil Lurks holds nothing back in its mission to unsettle the viewer -- and it mostly succeeds, even if it starts stronger than it finishes.

Read Audience Reviews

Alison Willmore

New York Magazine/Vulture

What makes Demián Rugna’s film so effective is not the gore or the idea of a demonic contagion — it’s the way that the weaknesses of human nature, on both a personal and a systemic level, make stopping the corruption almost impossible once it appears.

Dec 9, 2023

Full Review

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

AWFJ.org

When Evil Lurks is a shocking yet highly accomplished horror film, and Rugna’s name is one that demands to be up there with Cronenberg, Romero, Carpenter and Argento – this is a true master of the genre.

Oct 26, 2023

Full Review

Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

It’s breathlessly paced, sprints through a fleet 99 minutes and will give your nerves a big workout.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 25, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...progressively uninvolving and underwhelming...

Rated: 1/4

Aug 7, 2024

Full Review

Romey Norton

Film Focus Online

When Evil Lurks does so well in creating threatening situations and with its stomach churning violence and gruesome detail. The acting is some of the best I’ve seen in the horror genre for a long time. Their fear, distress and actions were all believable.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 22, 2024

Full Review

James Preston Poole

The Cosmic Circus

Defiantly crossing several lines even the most twisted of films in the genre wouldn’t dare step over, and coursing with a helpless, hopeless feeling, When Evil Lurks has the makings of a new high-mark for horror, for those who can stomach it at least.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 13, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

sonya

One of my favorite horror movie of 2023!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/02/23

Full Review

Zaira B

Good horror movie! I really recommend watching this

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/23

Full Review

Len

could Have been better, worth 1 watch but never again

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/21/23

Full Review

Don't go

I felt like it was all over the place

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

Full Review

Paul D

Powerful horror that, step by step, leads the viewer into an amazing miasma of folk horror, whether created from a real belief system or generated by the mind of the writer. It's a wonderful movie to dissect afterwards. Not everyone will experience it the same way. There's an underlying theme dealing with the way male toxicity often gets in the way of what should be done.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

Full Review

Corey U

That movie messed me and my wife up...I love it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/16/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Demián Rugna

Director

Ezequiel Rodríguez

Actor

Demián Salomón

Actor

Silvina Sabater

Actor

Virginia Garófalo

Actor

Paula Rubinsztein

Actor

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Skinamarink

73%

44%

Skinamarink

Watchlist

V/H/S/Beyond

89%

58%

V/H/S/Beyond

Watchlist

TRAILER

for V/H/S/Beyond

Daddy's Head

%

%

Daddy's Head

Watchlist

Mountain Shark

%

%

Mountain Shark

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

What to Watch This Week: Five Nights at Freddy’s and More

When Evil Lurks: Trailer 2

2:10

When Evil Lurks: Trailer 1

0:57

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse -- its very proximity poisoning the local livestock -- they attempt to evict the victim from their land. Failing to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism, their reckless actions inadvertently trigger an epidemic of possessions across their rural community. Now they must outrun an encroaching evil as it corrupts and mutilates everyone it is exposed to, and enlist the aid of a wizened "cleaner," who holds the only tools that can stop this supernatural plague.

Director: Demián Rugna
Producer: Fernando Díaz, Roxana Ramos
Screenwriter: Demián Rugna
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Aramos Cine, Shudder Films, Machaco Films
Genre: Horror
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 2023, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 27, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $544.7K
Runtime: 1h 39m

Most Popular at Home Now