In a remote village, two brothers find a demon-infected man just about to give birth to evil itself. They decide to get rid of the man but merely succeed in helping him to deliver the inferno.
Using the term “hard-hitting” to describe writer/director Demián Rugna‘s “When Evil Lurks” doesn’t even get close to characterizing what lies ahead for viewers of this savage, ruthless horror thriller. This tale of disturbing demonic possession is excessively cruel, unsettling, and brimming with blood and gore. In other words, it’s exactly the type of original film that horror fans crave.
In a remote village, brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover a demon-infected man who has been left in a nearby farmhouse. With the evil presence affecting the local livestock, they attempt to recklessly remove him from their land. The brothers don’t follow the proper rules of exorcism, though, which aids the man in giving birth to what could be evil itself. A possession epidemic is triggered, infecting many in the community. Trying desperately to avoid anyone who is exposed, their only hope rests on the shoulders of a “cleaner” who claims to be able to stop the deadly plague.
From its opening scene, this supernatural shocker grabs you and pulls you in. Rugna has a crackerjack eye for building tension, and he goes the “show don’t tell” route in the majority of his movie. There’s no clear explanation or complicated narrative set up of what’s going on, especially early in the story, forcing viewers to just go with the known truth that possessions exist in this world. Accepting this as fact helps build on the curiosity and engagement with the phenomenon, the story, and the characters.
This is not your standard possession and exorcism movie, however. Rugna’s twist on the formula is bold and thoughtful, mainly because the church isn’t presented as a solution. There are no priests called in to offer assistance. There’s no holy water nor Bible verses read. There’s no amount of religion or prayer that is going to save these people, which gives the story a welcome, fresh perspective.
The film features absolutely terrifying, startling, and graphic imagery that will haunt you forever. There’s no holding back as Rugna goes full throttle and pushes the limits to the extreme. It’s relentless and harsh, with some of the most disturbing scenes featuring violence involving animals and children (sometimes both). This is a film where horrible things happen. Horrible. This is not a horror movie for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs.
The tension is heightened not with cheap jump scares, but with truly terrifying story elements. This isn’t a film that relies on the easy scare, but one that is legitimately disturbing. “When Evil Lurks” is a breath of fresh air in the demonic possession horror subgenre.
