LUCIFERINA (2018) Reviews and overview

What do you think of this movie? Click on a star to rate it
  

‘Whoever seeks the Devil finds him’

Luciferina is a 2018 Argentinian supernatural horror film written and directed by Gonzalo Calzada (Resurrectión; The Clairvoyant’s Prayer). It stars Victoria Carreras, Gastón Cocchiarale, Agustin Daulte, and Sofía Del Tuffo.

Natalia (Sofía Del Tuffo) is a nineteen-year-old novice who reluctantly returns home to say goodbye to her dying father. However, when she meets up with her sister and her friends, she decides instead to travel the jungle in search of mystical plant.

There, instead of pleasure, they encounter a world of Black Masses, strange pregnancies, bloody deaths and for young nun Natalia, a violent clash with the Devil himself…

Luciferina is released by Artsploitation Films on November 20th on Blu-ray and DVD and on December 4th on Digital and On Demand.

Buy: Amazon.com

Reviews [contains spoilers]:

“The final act alone is batshit and bananas enough to fill any horror fan’s desire for the supernatural and chaos they went in for and it’s terribly fun watching things just go so wrong in the most enjoyable of ways. But the plodding first hour can make getting to the good stuff quite tedious; it’s too drawn out for its own good and the film sets up a lot that it fails to answer.” Awais Irwan, The Hollywood News

“It’s a really strange ending that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.  In the context of the story it seems rather unnecessary and its execution is extremely silly.  It’s easily probably one of the weirdest endings to a movie I’ve seen this year. Overall, if you’re a fan of religious horror movies I would still recommend this one just for its cultural perspective.” Jason MacDonald, Horror-Movies.ca

” …it has a quite daring style – with religious frenzy, demonic powers and hallucinogenic drugs influencing the characters, and encouraging writer-director Gonzalo Calzada to include trippy or transgressive stretches. The climactic exorcism, for instance, involves the virginal heroine seducing the demon possessee on an altar in a scene that seems suspended halfway between Ken Russell and Rinse Dream.” The Kim Newman Web Site

” …a standout performance from lead Stefanía Koessl, who has a strong on-screen presence. Luciferina’s visual presentation is by far the film’s strongest point with the use of outstanding camera work. Unfortunately, what we get in the latter half of the film is pretty much a by-the-numbers, albeit enjoyable, possession horror flick.” Bryce Gibson, Nightmare on Film Street

“No, it isn’t as scary as other films of its ilk, and yes, it features too many unnecessary jump scares — an old woman, in particular, seems to be as stealthy as a ninja —, but it’s original enough, and atmospheric enough, for it to compensate for most of its shortcomings. Most importantly, though, it features a very compelling performance by Sofia del Tuffo…” Sebastian Zavala Kahn, Screen Anarchy

Main cast:

  • Victoria Carreras
  • Gastón Cocchiarale
  • Agustín Daulte
  • Sofía Del Tuffo
  • Francisco Donovan
  • Chucho Fernández
  • Stefanía Koessl
  • Tomás Lipán
  • Marta Lubos
  • Pedro Merlo
  • Desirée Gloria Salgueiro

Release:

Luciferina was released in Argentina on 15 March 2018.

MOVIES & MANIA provides an independent aggregated range of previews, opinions and reviews from a wide variety of credited sources, plus our own reviews, in one handy web location. We rely solely on the very minor income generated by affiliate links and internet ads to stay online and expand. Please support us by not blocking ads on our site. Thank you.

MOVIES and MANIA provides previews, our own film reviews and ratings, plus links to other online reviews from a wide variety of trusted sources in one handy web location. This is a genuinely independent website and I rely solely on the minor income generated by internet ads to pay for web costs and cover yet more movies. Please support us by not blocking ads. Thank you. Oh and as an Amazon Associate, I earn a tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.