The Curse of La Llorona is a horror film that was released in 2019. It is part of The Conjuring Universe and is based on the Mexican folklore of La Llorona, which translates to "The Weeping Woman" in English. The film follows the story of a social worker named Anna who becomes entangled in the curse of La Llorona and must protect her children from the vengeful spirit. The cost of the curse of La Llorona refers to the consequences and sacrifices that the characters in the film have to pay due to their encounters with the haunting spirit. Throughout the story, we see the characters suffer emotionally, mentally, and even physically as they try to escape from the clutches of La Llorona. From a thematic perspective, the cost of the curse can be seen as a metaphor for the weight of guilt and the consequences of our past actions.
For Velasquez, La Llorona is not just a story. She’s an omnipresent being that should be taken seriously.
Raised in a large family in Mexico and Venezuela, Velasquez remembers her older brothers scaring her and her younger siblings with threats that La Llorona was going to make an unwanted appearance if they misbehaved. Because the story is based on actual folklore, the upcoming movie The Curse of La Llorona is just that much more frightening, actor Raymond Cruz said when he and costars Patricia Velasquez and Linda Cardellini, along with director Michael Chaves, stopped by the L.
From a thematic perspective, the cost of the curse can be seen as a metaphor for the weight of guilt and the consequences of our past actions. La Llorona herself is said to be a woman who drowned her own children in a fit of rage and despair, leading to her eternal torment to find them. Her curse affects not only her but also those who cross her path.
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A thin layer of smoke hovered around the entrance of the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas, as moviegoers entered the venue to see the world premiere of The Curse of La Llorona at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival last month.
A group of curanderas (traditional healers) of all ages stood outside the theater burning small bundles of sage – an ancient ritual in many cultures – to cleanse the individuals there to watch the horror film, which is based on an old Mexican folktale. Along with healing capabilities, some consider the burning of sage as a way to fend off evil spirits.
But evil spirits at a film festival screening? The title character in La Llorona is said to be the ghost of a woman who drowned her children generations ago and now cries out as she searches for them, so maybe there is actually something tangible to protecting attendees with the burning herb. Maybe there is something to the red handkerchief that theater employees handed out to moviegoers – which a curandero who took to the Paramount stage prior to the screening explained is used to wipe clean any bad entities that might attempt to attach themselves to patrons as they watch La Llorona.
“Before you leave tonight, throw your handkerchief away in the trash,” the curandero told the audience. “Don’t take it home with you.”
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Read moreLa Llorona has faced some controversy in the lead up to its theatrical release on April 19. Some have criticized the decision to use real-life curanderos to market the movie – questioning the optics of using traditional healers whose practices are rooted in spirituality and indigenous culture as a promotional tool to sell a horror movie.
Then, there’s the fact that the lead character in the film is played by white actress Linda Cardellini (Green Book). In a movie adapted from a Latin American legend, why is the movie’s leading lady not Latina herself? Filmmakers explained to Remezcla at SXSW that they wanted the main character to be an “outsider” to the supernatural events taking place in the film – someone who doesn’t know the story of La Llorona, so that she can uncover it with less knowledge. Filmmakers argue that if the lead character had been Latina, it she would have likely already heard the stories growing up, thus undercutting the discovery plot.
That was the experience of Latino actors Patricia Velasquez (The L Word) and Raymond Cruz (Major Crimes). Both grew up convinced the Llorona legend was true, especially since it was a story told to them by trusted relatives.
“Everyone who is Latin knows about La Llorona,” Cruz told Remezcla during an interview at SXSW. “She’s our boogieman. She’s our Frankenstein. We’ve known about her since we were children. You heard about it from your grandfather and they heard about it when they were children, too.”
In La Llorona, which has been incorporated into “The Conjuring Universe” by producer James Wan, Velasquez plays Patricia Alvarez, a mother doing everything she can to protect her two young sons from the malevolent entity trying to hurt them. Cruz plays Rafael Olvera, a curandero who is called upon by another mother (Linda Cardellini) in the same predicament as Patricia. She, too, is trying to save her two children from being the next victims of La Llorona, and she believes Rafael is the only person who can help.
Raised in a large family in Mexico and Venezuela, Velasquez remembers her older brothers scaring her and her younger siblings with threats that La Llorona was going to make an unwanted appearance if they misbehaved.
“They would say, ‘Eat your food or La Llorona is going to come get you,’” Velasquez told Remezcla at SXSW. “It was the way they made kids stay inside. We would be playing outside and when it got dark, they would say, ‘You have to come inside now or La Llorona is going to come get you.’ We very much believed in her.”
Now with her own young daughter, Velasquez is torn between keeping her Latino traditions alive or telling her child a story that could give her nightmares.
“I do want her to know about [La Llorona],” Velasquez said. “I do want to pass the story to her because it’s so important to us…as a cultural thing, but at the same time, do we want to scare them so much? I haven’t used the tactic on [my daughter] because I’ve been so scared my whole life of La Llorona.”
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Read moreBut which La Llorona folktale to choose? Across the Latin American diaspora, there are a number of different variations on the story. In some narratives, the woman drowns her children because her husband is leaving her for a younger woman and she wants to hurt him. In another version, La Llorona takes her revenge out on unfaithful men. Then, there are those La Llorona stories that connect the folktale to the Spanish conquistadors.
“There are so many different versions of La Llorona and not only in the Hispanic culture, but all around the world,” Velasquez said. “The one in the film seems to be the most universal one and the one that most people connect to.”
Whichever version someone believes to be the most authentic, Velasquez said there is a reason the story has stood the test of time. To her, La Llorona’s meaning runs much deeper than a standard campfire story.
“I think she’s stayed alive all these generations later because of what she represents,” Velasquez said. “To me, she represents how far someone will go in a moment of rage. She represents the destruction of the little kid inside us and trying to get back that innocence.”
For Velasquez, La Llorona is not just a story. She’s an omnipresent being that should be taken seriously.
“It’s amazing to think about the repercussions of this entity that has spanned generations,” Velasquez said. “She has always been so present among us. I’m glad they chose to honor her in [the film] and respect what she means to the Latino community. There’s an energy to [La Llorona] where you know you’re playing with fire. We had a responsibility to do good by her.”
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
In the film, we see Anna and her children become the target of La Llorona's wrath, leading to a series of terrifying encounters and supernatural events. As they try to protect themselves, they are forced to make difficult decisions and sacrifices in order to survive. This includes seeking help from a former priest, risking their own lives, and delving into the dark and mysterious world of Mexican folklore. The cost of the curse also extends beyond the immediate danger faced by the characters. It explores the toll that fear, grief, and trauma can have on individuals and their relationships. Anna, as a social worker, is already familiar with the consequences of neglect and abuse, but facing La Llorona pushes her to her limits and forces her to confront her own fears and past traumas. In conclusion, the cost of the curse of La Llorona is a central theme in the film. It emphasizes the price that characters have to pay for their encounters with the vengeful spirit. It explores the themes of guilt, consequence, and trauma, and the sacrifices that are made in order to escape the curse. The film serves as a reminder of the power of folklore and the haunting effects it can have on those who encounter it..
Reviews for "The Curse of La Llorona: A Glimpse into the Sinister Price of Betrayal"
1. Sara - 1/5 - I was extremely disappointed with "The Curse of La Llorona". The movie lacked originality and relied heavily on jump scares and predictable horror tropes. The storyline felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving me feeling indifferent towards the characters. The acting was subpar, and the dialogue was cringeworthy at times. Overall, I found the film to be uninteresting and forgettable. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a genuinely scary or suspenseful horror film.
2. Mark - 2/5 - "The Curse of La Llorona" failed to capture my attention throughout its entire duration. The plot felt unoriginal and lacked depth, making it hard for me to invest in the characters or their struggles. The scares were formulaic and predictable, leaving little room for genuine surprises. The performances were decent, but the script felt weak and uninspiring. Although the film had its moments, it overall fell short of delivering a truly terrifying and memorable horror experience.
3. Emily - 2.5/5 - I had high expectations for "The Curse of La Llorona", but unfortunately, it failed to live up to them. The storyline felt unoriginal and didn't offer anything new to the horror genre. While the performances were decent, the characters lacked depth and development. The scares were too reliant on jump scares and lacked genuine suspense. Although the film had a few spooky moments, it failed to leave a lasting impression. Overall, "The Curse of La Llorona" felt like a missed opportunity to create a truly chilling and atmospheric horror film.
4. Daniel - 3/5 - As a fan of horror movies, I had mixed feelings about "The Curse of La Llorona". While the film had its fair share of scares and creepy moments, it ultimately fell short in terms of originality and storytelling. The plot felt weak and predictable, and the characters were not fleshed out enough to make me care about their fate. Additionally, the pacing of the film was uneven, leading to moments of boredom in between the scares. Although "The Curse of La Llorona" had some redeeming qualities, it did not live up to my expectations for a truly memorable horror film.
5. Jessica - 2/5 - "The Curse of La Llorona" left me feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed. The plot felt disjointed and lacked coherence, making it hard for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The scares were repetitive and cliché, failing to elicit any genuine fright. The performances were average at best, with no stand-out acting moments. Overall, the film lacked the necessary elements to make it a truly captivating and memorable horror film. I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a quality scare.