El Páramo is a tension-filled horror-thriller from Colombian director Jaime Osorio Marquez.
It tells the story of a squad of soldiers, who have been sent to investigate a remote, fog-stricken, mountain outpost, believed to have been overrun by guerillas.
Though, once they arrive...there is no one to be found. Only what looks to be the aftermath of a massacre.
Eventually, they discover a female guerilla holed up behind a wall that is scrawled with spells, and covered with magical charms, meant to ward off the devil.
The squad members can't agree on whether she is a witch; or whether she is responsible for whatever atrocity occurred here...but one thing is certain...it has struck a wedge between them.
Whatever you think occurs, it has the effect of revealing the men for who they truly are. It separates the good from the evil; the strong minded from the weak willed; and the survivors from the dead.
This is exacerbated when the most sadistic f*ck in the unit is killed, after being alone with the woman (whom he planned on torturing and/or raping). If she was able to kill an entire unit, and the man who made them all cower in fear- they feel she must be more than just your average guerilla.
Now that she's on the lamb, pure fear sets in. And what follows is an expert psychological breakdown of the military mindset.
Is someone really out there, using magic to knock them off one-by-one...or is it all in their heads...with themselves being the only ones to blame? A couple clever twists, expertly placed, keeps you thinking about this; and, just when you think you've gotten it all figured out- forces you to question your assumptions.
You really need to have patience- and engage in reflection- to fully appreciate this film. It is neither an action packed, nor gore based, horror...as some critics were clearly expecting. It plods along slowly, builds tension; and forces you to engage with the characters, by encouraging you to break each of them down them down psychologically.
In the end, what made me enjoy this film so much, is how it acts as a scathing critique of the military mindset. Going into it, I fully expected this to be a pro-military propaganda piece, with a horror angle. But it's not. It's completely the opposite. Not only does it act to condemn the war (in Colombia), in general...but also encourages you to reflect on how dangerous it is to throw ordinary people (with all their psychological misgivings and limitations) into such situations. It's an atrocity waiting to happen.
Slow build-up aside, I found this to be a relatively engrossing film.
6 out of 10.
It tells the story of a squad of soldiers, who have been sent to investigate a remote, fog-stricken, mountain outpost, believed to have been overrun by guerillas.
Though, once they arrive...there is no one to be found. Only what looks to be the aftermath of a massacre.
Eventually, they discover a female guerilla holed up behind a wall that is scrawled with spells, and covered with magical charms, meant to ward off the devil.
The squad members can't agree on whether she is a witch; or whether she is responsible for whatever atrocity occurred here...but one thing is certain...it has struck a wedge between them.
Whatever you think occurs, it has the effect of revealing the men for who they truly are. It separates the good from the evil; the strong minded from the weak willed; and the survivors from the dead.
This is exacerbated when the most sadistic f*ck in the unit is killed, after being alone with the woman (whom he planned on torturing and/or raping). If she was able to kill an entire unit, and the man who made them all cower in fear- they feel she must be more than just your average guerilla.
Now that she's on the lamb, pure fear sets in. And what follows is an expert psychological breakdown of the military mindset.
Is someone really out there, using magic to knock them off one-by-one...or is it all in their heads...with themselves being the only ones to blame? A couple clever twists, expertly placed, keeps you thinking about this; and, just when you think you've gotten it all figured out- forces you to question your assumptions.
You really need to have patience- and engage in reflection- to fully appreciate this film. It is neither an action packed, nor gore based, horror...as some critics were clearly expecting. It plods along slowly, builds tension; and forces you to engage with the characters, by encouraging you to break each of them down them down psychologically.
In the end, what made me enjoy this film so much, is how it acts as a scathing critique of the military mindset. Going into it, I fully expected this to be a pro-military propaganda piece, with a horror angle. But it's not. It's completely the opposite. Not only does it act to condemn the war (in Colombia), in general...but also encourages you to reflect on how dangerous it is to throw ordinary people (with all their psychological misgivings and limitations) into such situations. It's an atrocity waiting to happen.
Slow build-up aside, I found this to be a relatively engrossing film.
6 out of 10.