When police raid a house in El Paso, they find it full of dead Latinos, and only one survivor. He’s known as The Traveler, and when they take him to the station for questioning, he tells them tho...
Anthology movies can often feel like brutal missteps with a massive swing in terms of entertainment value and overall quality. That’s not the case with “Satanic Hispanics,” a compilation of short films from some of the leading Latin filmmakers in the horror genre. The movie covers all the bases and includes elements from subgenres like action, supernatural thriller, monster movie, and traditional practical effects with blood and gore. In other words, there’s something for everyone.
The film opens with a police raid at the site of a brutal massacre in El Paso. Only one survivor, who calls himself The Traveler (Efren Ramirez), remains. He’s taken into custody, set up in an interrogation room at the station, and questioned by two detectives. He’s oddly cooperative, but continues to insist that there’s a deadline looming and very soon, everyone will be dead. Over the course of the debriefing, The Traveler tells some very, very strange tales about portals to other worlds, magic beings, mythical creatures, demons, and the undead
The story that ties it all together is works well, and it actually makes sense within the context of the narrative. Each short film is broken up with a scene with the cops and The Traveler as he relays his wild yarns. The placement and pacing is perfect and the stories are diverse, all strikingly different in vision but equally strong. You’ll have your favorites, of course (I was particularly fond of Chapters 3 and 5). The shorts are directed by Alejandro Brugués, Mike Mendez, Demián Rugna, Gigi Saul Guerrero, and Eduardo Sánchez.
The film features Hispanic talent both behind and in front of the camera, and it’s great to see a genre film that showcases representation.
“Satanic Hispanics” is a horror anthology that will delight genre fans. It’s scary, it’s gory, it’s funny, and it’s a blast.
