“Satanic Hispanics” attempts to bring authentic Latin folklore to modern horror audiences and boasts great doses of monsters and gore. However, it’s also held back by some uneven storytelling and humor that doesn’t always land. Like most horror anthologies, your mileage may vary, but there’s still a lot of fun and scares to be had.
The film consists of four Latinx-themed horror segments, sandwiched between a modestly amusing wrap-around story titled “The Traveler.” The titular rambler, played by Efren Ramirez (known for his role in “Napoleon Dynamite”), warns American cops about the arrival of San La Muerte, a vengeful Paraguayan wraith. Ramirez’s character threads the needle of his story with four otherwise unrelated vignettes, but unfortunately, the segments often feel stretched beyond their conceptual limits.
Among the segments, “Nahuales” stands out with a great premise: De la Cruz, a CIA collaborator, gets captured and tortured by the animalistic “Nahuales,” a group of Mexican animal-men. While the segment showcases cool folk-horror makeup, it feels like a warm-up for something more substantial. Similarly, “También Lo Vi” is an atmospheric ghost story about Gustavo, a Rubik’s Cube-obsessed loner who accidentally opens a door to the afterlife. The haunting ensues, but the finale may feel familiar and anti-climactic.
Despite its unevenness, “Satanic Hispanics” does offer a smooth blend of scares and dark humor. The tonal shifts can be jarring, but the film’s unique visions and Latin American horror stories make it worth a watch.
