El Muerto is one fine horror film, in my opinion. I watched it for the first time tonight, in the wee hours of Wed., 28 Oct. ‘09, and will include it henceforth in my annual Halloween prep.
Some reviewers have panned this film, but I suspect that is due largely to an anti-religious or an anti-Mexican prejudice, or possibly both, on the part of said reviewers. For anyone who lives in the border country between Mexico and the U.S., as I do, or for anyone who is Catholic and understands the importance and symbolisms of his faith, as I do, this film will smack home on many different levels. It will speak to our heart, it will embrace the language of prayer, it will pull at the strings of love, and it will prove to be one very scary movie.
Of course, if one isn’t a Catholic, or if one has no appreciation for multi-layered rituals and devotional practices involved in El Dia de los Muertos, then one is el stupido and simply does not have the understanding necessary to appreciate the beauty of this work of art. I have no patience for such idiots.
