Beware

Latino slasher indie set in southern Florida

There are two versions of this film by writer/director Jason Daly: The 1999 rendition is the original whereas the 2010 version is the remake. While TMDB and Letterboxd differentiate the two versions, IMDb and MovieChat curiously do not. Both are listed on the latter two websites as the 1999 version with the cast list of the 2010 remake. In any case, this review is for the 2010 film.

While the protagonists are Latino, there are several Caucasian characters and a black female, so don’t think “Latino” in the one-dimensional sense. It’s a proficient indie slasher that sticks with the tropes of the genre and features a good plot twist in the last act, which I failed to predict for some strange reason.

The female cast is pretty strong with the highlights of Cecilia Huete as Maria and Vivi Pineda as Cristina, not to mention Christine Curran in a brief role as Amber. Yet I didn’t care for the ‘final girl.’ Don’t get me wrong, she’s serviceable and has her points of interest, but the final girl in the original 1999 movie is superior. Speaking of which, I’ve never seen that version, but I know it’s less Latino-oriented.

There are only two likable characters, and the negatives are laid on too thick, such as Fransisco being a jerk and the emphasis of the ignobleness of two others. The focus on quality gore and breasts tends to usurp imaginative writing. With just a few key tweaks this could’ve been a more effective low-budget slasher. As it is, it’s forgettable.

It runs 1h 34m and was shot in Jupiter, Florida, which is located at the northern tip of the conurbation of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

GRADE: C-/C