The Cry (2007)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Blistering performances.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Entertaining and intelligent story behind this Latino legend.Great film-making also! I definitely recommend this film.It stayed clear of silly stereotypes.The story was interesting.The directing and acting was great.Looks like a big budget film, even though it wasn't a Hollywood film.It jumps into interesting cultural issues.And the director and writers isn't afraid to bringing up societal taboos. A must see.I grew up with the legend.It scared me then.This movie also scares me.

Visually appealing, sometimes flat dialog and a disturbing storyline combine for a decently creepy first attempt from this writer/director.After seeing the film then reading the comments here it is evident how little attention watchers paid to the story. The following seem to be the important points that were missed. Young mother Maria is sensitive to the paranormal which generates an early encounter with the cursed spirit La Llorona (who killed her son by drowning because of a man's treachery and is doomed to possess mothers to do the same) and results in her ability to sketch the spirit's victims. Detective Alex Scott is haunted by the loss of his child to the spirit's influence several years ago. Fearing for the life of her young son Maria contacts Alex who learns from a fortune teller that Maria's boy is the reincarnation of the cursed woman's murdered child. She says the only way to defeat the spirit is to "pluck out the evil eye".Chilling and atmospheric I am interested to see what this director may do with a bit more experience.

In New York, detective Alex Scott (Christian Camargo) is investigating with his partner Sergio Perez (Carlos Leon) the disappearance of several children. When they visit the Mexican witch Gloria (Miriam Colon), the woman advises that a powerful evil force is chasing the reincarnation of her son and drowning the other children to bring pain to their mothers."The Cry" is a boring, pointless and unpleasant mess about a Mexican legend called "La Llorona". This is the first time that I see a reference to this legend, and maybe this movie might make some sense to those that are familiar with "La Llorona". However, the screenplay is terrible, without development of characters or situations, and there is an absolute lack of explanation about everything that happens in the story. Why the evil spirit is attacking children in New York? Why the former Wall Street broker Scott has become a New York detective after losing his son? Why Maria was able to protect her son and why she blinded herself in the end? The lead character Scott is absolutely boring; maybe the actor has felt the turkey he was hired to work. Last but not the least, the theme of mothers drowning babies and children is of an extremely bad taste even for a pseudo-horror movie. My vote is one.Title (Brazil): "Gritos da Morte" ("Cries of the Death")

The Cry is a take on the La Llorona legend of Mexico and America. The two countries have many different takes on the legend. This film seems by all accounts to take from one of the Mexican legends of La Llorona hunting down children and drowning them.The director Bernadine Santistevan film is stylishly shot, and looks fantastic, but unfortunately it lacks any substance. Nothing is ever really explained in the film, like for example why La Llorona turned up in New York of all places. Why not Mexico where there is more history of the legend, and most importantly why she choose her victims.Without these major points explained in the movie it all seemed kind of pointless. One other thing I don't think an evil spirit possessing mothers to kill their own babies (and very young babies at that) is not a very good idea for a film. There are so many variations on this legend why not choose one that's a little less disturbing.To sum it up people looking for "Dead Silence" or "Darkness Falls" type of film don't bother renting this, but people with an active interest in the La Llorona legend my find it interesting.