the 70s is such a good era for satanic movies. other than popular titles such as the exorcist (1973) and the omen (1976), there are also ones that were buried beneath a hidden treasure box. one of them would be alucarda (1977), a mexican horror film that tells the tale of a pair of girls who lived in a convent that also functions as an orphanage. one day during a short trip to the forest they discovered a cryptic and ancient looking site, and things just went batshit afterwards. apparently the girls had been possessed by demonic forces that attempted to take control over them, leading to immense amount of hysteria and nightmarish events that follow.
no words could explain the madness of alucarda and how every bit of the film's insanity cemented it as a classic, undiscovered gem. it keeps you glued to the screen, as if it has the power to hypnotize through its endless screams, riot, and satanic worships. theres actually not much story here, but the thematic emphasis is spot on. its heavy on religious overtone but it also touches upon coming of age issue, which is portrayed through alucarda's complex desire for love and rebellion.
for a low budget film alucarda got a solid commitment to ensure it doesnt come off as cheap or weak. i really like the overall visual concept that flaunts organic yet detailed sets, such as cave-like convent and stone walls that spark absolute eerieness, down to the nuns who are draped in red-stained robes that resemble blood splatters. the cryptic leitmotif is further elevated with smokey effects like fog and haze, effectively taking surrealism to a higher plateau. at one point the theatrical nature simply crosses the border between art and fever dream.
director juan lópez moctezuma ends the gothic suspense with alucarda unleashing hell upon everyone in such brutal, unapologetic manner thats a good reminiscence of stephen king's carrie. by the time the spectacle is over it feels like i just went through an extreme, unholy ritual marked by copious amount of blood, crucifixion, nudes, gore, and combusting nuns. highly disturbing, but thats exactly what this film aims for, and it indeed succeeded.
sebelum iblis menjemput blends never ending terrors, flashy jumpscares, deeply rooted mystical sense with full throttle execution that made the audience physically and mentally compromised. just like his previous works (most notably rumah dara), timo doesnt hesitate to go all out with his delivery. this film continuously carries an atmosphere of dread starting from the first minute mark and the diabolical force refuses to fade even until the credits roll. the intensity goes hand-in-hand with tight build ups and a number of jumpscares that blatantly portrayed demonic faces as big as the theater screen. yes, they snatch your sight before you are ready and there is no way you can look away.
interestingly, it is also heavy on gore which is quite of a fresh take since most local horrors tend to rely solely on supernatural theme. this one is disturbingly blood gushing, very much in the vein of raimi's evil dead down to the almost comedic impression. i'd say interesting because its been a while since i saw well crafted gory element in local films that is not corny. it may be difficult to stomach for some, but it does add a unique touch to the whole tone.
music is such an important component in horror movies and i gotta say the scoring department especially did a terrific job this time. every sound effect adheres to the theme, message, and mood present in the scene closely. sometimes the ear-piercing loudness gets over the top it feels like you are being choked on the spot, very visceral and full of madness.
the reason why i gave this film 3.5 out of 5 is because despite the technical excellence, there are considerable shortcomings that are hard to ignore. the most prominent would be the stiff and inconsistent dialogues that kinda ruin some profound moments between the characters which end up making us emotionally detached from them. another one would be the lack of cathartic experience toward the third act where the tension becomes anticlimactic like a roller coaster that already slows down when we are still anticipating for a steep plunge from the skyscraper. instead of a long-awaited explosive momentum it just pales in comparison with the previous acts.
all in all, sebelum iblis menjemput is still an incredibly fun entertainment for horror aficionados and thrill-seekers. thumbs up for timo and the crew for blessing local cinema with yet another quality gem in the genre!
