In 2017, Argentinian writer and director Demián Rugna traumatised horror audiences with the excellent Terrified. That film holds the mantle for one of the best, most disturbing single shots in modern horror and just a glimpse of it conjures countless nightmares. Now, Rugna is back with another genre film, but how does When Evil Lurks compare?
The simple answer is that, whilst When Evil Lurks isn’t as unsettling as Terrified, it is still a worthy viewing prospect. Set in a small town, the narrative sees one man enter into a nightmarish ordeal after discovering the body of a man whom others believe to be possessed. Tales of possession are nothing new to the horror genre, but Rugna makes some fantastic inroads into new directions. Rather than be set around a singular location, or be overrun with representatives of the church, When Evil Lurks pits the locals against the monstrous. It makes for a much yearned for change-up to convention.
By expanding the locations, When Evil Lurks becomes a higher stakes story. Rather than it being just one person possessed, here the entity jumps from body to body as it seeks to torment the hero of the piece, Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez). The ace up Rugna’s sleeve is the carnage and mayhem left in the wake of possession. It is in these sequences that Rugna ups the ante and proves himself a director unafraid to get messy. Without wishing to spoil the experience, some hard to forget imagery concerns dogs, goats, children and axes; not necessarily used together. The further When Evil Lurks progresses, the more unhinged the violence becomes and its gore-soaked chaos will play perfectly to horror crowds. One very late incident is a strong contender for most stomach-turning, retch-inducing scene of the year, which given there has been an Evil Dead movie out, is no easy task.
Whereas Terrified was slow and considered, When Evil Lurks is hectic and chaotic (in a good way). The two films work as personifying the two wolves that reside within Rugna. Although When Evil Lurks might not lead to as many sleepless nights as Terrified, it is a sure-fire hit for goo and gore lovers.
When Evil Lurks was reviewed at Fantastic Fest 2023. IFC Films will release When Evil Lurks in theatres on 6th October. When Evil Lurks will stream on Shudder from 27th October.
When Evil Lurks
Summary
A hectic mix of carnage, mayhem and gore, When Evil Lurks will have viewers laughing, crying, and quite possibly throwing up as well.
