This Argentinian horror written and directed by Demián Rugna has been touted by some as one of the best horror movies of 2023, for reasons I don’t fully understand.
When Evil Lurks tells the story of two brothers living in a remote village who find themselves having to stop the spread of a demon who has possessed a local man. The man has been infected by said demon for so long his body is distended and morphed into a bloated mass of boils and puss. It is discovered that the demon spreads like a virus if shot (or killed improperly?). As the story moves forward, we find that at times both humans and animals can become contaminated by merely coming in contact with an infected person or someone who has been around an infected person. For example, at one point a dog becomes possessed by simply sniffing the clothing of someone who came in contact with a possessed person. Yeah, the rules here are a little murky, and because of this the rules are explained and reestablished throughout the movie up until the very end. And even then, I feel like I needed more time with these people in order to fully understand the lore behind a form of possession which was new to me, but that so many of the townsfolk seem to have extensive knowledge on.
The hysterical delivery/nature of this movie is confusing as well, as this is not a comedy. I caught myself laughing at scenes that in retrospect I don’t believe are played for laughs. This has something to do with the smattering of telenovela-level acting within the film, but also, I can only imagine how much better this movie could’ve been as a dark comedy. Rugna’s decision to play this entire thing straight allows for many visuals (specifically the vomit and snot eruption sequences) to come off as confusing.
That said, I have to believe the primary draw of this film are the kills and the scares, because all of that stuff is quite good. The setups may not be the greatest, but the actual point of impact is consistently gasp-inducing. As a horror film, there are things to admire here. It’s the in-between moments that only serve as a distraction from the director getting to show off.
Final Thought: Watch this for the visuals, I guess. Again, there are many superbly designed horror sequences, with some wonderful use of practical effects. If you are into horror visuals specifically, Rugna is as talented and creative as they come. It’s simply difficult not to become increasingly disinterested in a plot that becomes more cumbersome over time. And paired with its tonal issues, When Evil Lurks is an overall disappointment due to how intriguing the setup was.
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