The Influence (La Infuencia): Spanish horror film. Alicia (Manuela Velles) moves back home to help her sister Sara (Maggie Civantos) care for their coma stricken mother Victoria (Emma Suarez). Through flashbacks we see how Victoria, a Witch, maltreated both girls, forcing them to partake in her rituals, using a mirror and lockets containing hair and nails to control them. The house is dark and some rooms are filled with the mothers occult objects and books in particular an ibex skull which figures throughout the the film. There are also spiders, lots of spiders.
Alicia's daughter Nora (Claudia Placer) seems to able to communicate with the comatose Victoria but soon starts to fall under control of the Witches spirit, reacting violently to verbal bullying at school. She becomes trapped in her grandmother's room, poltergeist activity takes place. Nora also meets an oddly attired young girl, Luna (Daniela Rubio), who vandalises cars and walks on hot ashes.
The Influence is based on a story by Ramsey Campbell but is in some ways reminiscent of Hereditary particularly in plot development but is more unevenly paced and is pretty much a slow burner. Some truly terrifying scenes and the house itself provides a dark Gothic setting. Really good performances from Placer and Rubio, also by Sofia Tolina and Berta Sanchez as the young Alicia and Sara. This is Director Denis Rovira van Boekholt's first feature film and caveats aside is entertaining and scarifying. 7/10. On Netflix.
Alicia's daughter Nora (Claudia Placer) seems to able to communicate with the comatose Victoria but soon starts to fall under control of the Witches spirit, reacting violently to verbal bullying at school. She becomes trapped in her grandmother's room, poltergeist activity takes place. Nora also meets an oddly attired young girl, Luna (Daniela Rubio), who vandalises cars and walks on hot ashes.
The Influence is based on a story by Ramsey Campbell but is in some ways reminiscent of Hereditary particularly in plot development but is more unevenly paced and is pretty much a slow burner. Some truly terrifying scenes and the house itself provides a dark Gothic setting. Really good performances from Placer and Rubio, also by Sofia Tolina and Berta Sanchez as the young Alicia and Sara. This is Director Denis Rovira van Boekholt's first feature film and caveats aside is entertaining and scarifying. 7/10. On Netflix.