Why You Need to See 'Veronica'

Before I start, I wanted to warn whoever is reading this that there are spoilers in this post.

When I first saw Veronica I was at a loss for words. I heard about the film from a former classmate. I trust my classmate’s opinion and taste of horror films, so I got right on it. Veronica was released August 2017 in Spain. It’s written by Paco Plaza and Fernando Navarro. Paca Plaza also directed the film. If you’re a fan of the horror genre then you’re familiar with Paco Plaza’s work (REC 1, 2, & 3). I’m going to be completely honest and tell you that this is not Plaza’s scariest film ever. However, the way the film makes you feel during and afterward, the way it’s shot, and the delivery of a very familiar plot is what makes this film a gem.

The opening scene is great. I have a soft spot for films that start and open with the ending scene of the film. This kind of opening or even reveal makes me excited to see the rest of the film. I want to know how we as a whole, cast, crew, and audience got here. It starts with a call between Veronica and a 911 operator. Veronica is screaming on the phone while the operator tries to calm her down. A detective and officers then break into Veronica’s room. They hear growling, screaming, and moaning. Being the opening scene, we just see the reactions of the detective and officers.

The rest of the film flows and is your average possession film except the “hide and seek” twist in the end. The film had an impact on me. I had to watch the film three days in a row to get over it. As I watched it on the second day, I realized that it was the ending reveal that starts the beginning of the film, that stuck with me. Not only is it the reveal, but the delivery, the shot, and the perspective of it is amazing. After the reveal, the final scenes are great, but leave you with this eerie feeling after. I liked it, and that’s what I looked forward to watching it every day that I did, the ending.

The characters were very fun to watch and even easy to relate to. The family dynamic is awesome to watch on screen. The youngest son is one of my favorite characters. They have you all wrapped up with the family, and then this tragedy hits them. As an audience member, I was very engaged and I felt involved as well. When all this boils down to the end it gave me a weird feeling.

The film had plenty of reveals. One of my favorites is when Veronica’s friend reveals that Veronica told her she was going to die. Veronica immediately after hearing that starts to experience everything in backward motion. It was a unique shot. I also like that before the real tragedy begins, Veronica herself tries to warn her mom subtly. Her mom shoos her away of course, and then everything goes downhill from there. That scene into the ending transpires the film into an emotional roller coaster. You are right there with Veronica in the last 15-20 minutes of the film.

Like I said, this is not the scariest film I’ve seen. However, it’s a film that delivers real uneasiness and creepiness, and I enjoy that. I also love that I can watch the film day after day, after day, and not get tired of seeing it. It’s a film I would definitely recommend. Even if it’s not your kind of horror subgenre or type, it won’t be a waste of your time. Go watch Veronica on Netflix now and tell me what you think!