Evil is evil, according to the Argentinian horror movie When Evil Lurks. Everyone here accepts that the big “E” possesses people, and when that happens you better not use a gun to do anything about it because it’ll just make matters worse and spread like wildfire.
Then again, it’s best not to think too closely about the rules. Peasant women and old, wrinkle-hardened women are more than willing to explain what not to do, yet When Evil Lurks doesn’t do a great job of explaining what the deal is. I’m not a huge fan of horror movies over-explaining monsters and the like, but something about the sinister happenings here didn’t work for me—every character seems to understand what’s going down, and yet no one really knows so they talk about it constantly in circular platitudes. Maybe it’s that the story itself is elusively straightforward when there is something more complex and compelling never brought to screen.
Still, there’s plenty to appreciate. Writer/director Demián Rugna captures a constant sense of foreboding and repeatedly “shakes the jar” to stir the hornet’s nest he’s put to screen. He isn’t afraid to do dark things—a scene involving a dog and a little girl will cement in your memory—and thus indicates no one is really safe. There is some satisfying body horror and makeup work, and other stark visuals on display.
To say When Evil Lurks achieves its full potential is an outright lie. As an experiment in eerie world building, it’s a compelling entry. But the story operates as a connection of creepy ideas and moments more than as a cohesive tale of swelling evil—it doesn’t quite infiltrate your soul.
Evil is evil, sure. Apparently, that’s not enough.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.