‘The Untamed’: The Dangers Of Homophobia In A Catholic Country [Horror En Español]
This article was initially published with Phasr Media.
Director Amat Escalante has proved himself to be an important Mexican filmmaker. Just like Jayro Bustamante, director of La Llorona and Rita, Escalante uses the horror genre to talk about societal issues. One of his early films, Los Bastardos, talks about the undocumented experience in the United States. The film starts off by depicting the struggles of his main characters but quietly turns the story into a Funny Games-esque narrative. For the next decade, Escalante continued making outstanding films revolving around Mexican issues but stayed within the crime thriller genre.
It wasn’t until 2016 with The Untamed, Escalante returned to the horror genre with a new conversation. This time it’s to bring attention to the homophobia within Mexico. More specifically it’s about the relationship between homophobia and machismo. According to The Yucatan Times, Mexico once came in second place for the highest count of murders due to homophobia. The Untamed is based on one of these murders.
There’s no need to get into the details of the hate crime. It’s both vile and despicable, and Escalante was appalled by this atrocity. But it’s what happened afterward that caught him by surprise. After a gay man’s corpse was discovered, an image of the body was used in the local newspaper. Plus, the wording used on the front page was just as bad as the act. The newspaper’s decision to use a derogatory term for the whole world to see is what Escalante considers the seed of The Untamed.
Setting Up The Central Dramatic Question
In the screenwriting world, the first ten pages—roughly the first ten minutes of a film—are the most important in a screenplay. It sets up the world and the protagonist. According to the Final Draft blog, it also sets up the central dramatic question.
Now if we look at the first ten minutes of The Untamed, Escalante asks, “Just how dangerous is repression?” The director uses an unnamed alien lifeform to help answer this question. This extraterrestrial being can either reward you with the ultimate sensation of pleasure or punish you with pain and death. After the ominous title drop, we focus on the face of Veronica (Simone Bucio) as she lays against a pillar in a dingy shed, mid-climax then post-orgasm. Unfortunately, after her experience, she isn’t in a state of pleasure. Instead, she looks emotionally exhausted, experiencing that instant coming back to reality after chasing a high.
We then move on to married couple Alejandra and Angel, played by Ruth Ramos and Jesus Meza, respectively. Throughout the film, we see how two different people deal with repression. We start by focusing on Alejandra’s face as Angel weaker her up, initiating sex without saying a word. Angel comes in, gets what he wants, and continues sleeping. Alejandra’s unsatisfactory face says it all. She goes to the shower to attempt to finish what Angel started, only for her kid to interrupt her. For the second time, she’s left unsatisfied. Escalante quickly establishes his central dramatic question by having his characters endure a less-than-enjoyable experience.
By the end of the first act of The Untamed, we see our characters’ dynamics. We’re also introduced to Alejandra’s brother Fabian who was left for dead. This is the scene that Escalate calls the seed of his film. And that’s because this moment is the catalyst for Angel’s character arc and theme of the story.
Tragedy In Self Loathing Through Machismo
Before continuing I want to briefly talk about Angel because his mentality is the most tragic part of The Untamed. Angel is a broken character, repressing his sexuality and true identity to the point of self-loathing. While we first see him having one-sided sex with his wife, we then see him having sex with her brother, Fabian (Eden Villavicencio).
It is during sex with Fabian that we see a satisfied Angel, highlighted by Escalante’s focus on both men’s faces. Angel’s face is full of joy and contentment; he’s finally able to release his inner self. But as soon as they’re finished, he reverts to his machismo front. He makes homophobic comments and jokes like, “[Fabian’s] gayness might rub off on the kids,” “I don’t talk to people like him,” and even texting Fabian “faggot” when he doesn’t return Angel’s calls.
These are examples of Angel not only taking shots at Fabian but also himself. His self-loathing continues as he gets into fights with other alpha male types and Alejandra. Eventually, Angel is taken in for questioning after Fabian is found left for dead. Alejandra, because of jealousy or simply just resentment, testifies against Angel and frames him for the death of Fabian.
The Frown From Jesus Christ And Catholicism
Before proceeding to the final act, I want to briefly cover Alejandra’s arc. In the first act, we witness how Angel’s sexual repression leads to him hurting himself through his words. We see how the society around him informs his behavior and how he judges himself. In the second arc, we witness how a religious country handles homosexuality.
In multiple interviews about The Untamed, Escalante mentions how Mexico is a religious state, with government officials backed by the Catholic Church. He goes on to mention that the state where he lives, Guanajuato, is an even more religious state. Its rural ambiance adds to its more traditional values compared to the country’s liberal capital, Mexico City, which is a few steps forward when it comes to issues such as LGBTQ+ rights,
Escalante does a great job of quickly establishing the mindset of Guanajuato’s more traditional folk. On multiple occasions, we hear one of Angel’s and Alejandra’s children asking Alejandra, “What did my Uncle do to make God punish him?” This is the doing of Angel’s mother because following these questions, the child adds, “Grandma said it was true.”
It’s safe to assume Fabian was outspoken about his sexuality and in turn, not everyone supported him. Remember, this story takes place in a highly Catholic area. In multiple shots, we see the crucifix in plain view, hanging on the walls of every home.
During the second act, we see Alejandra come to terms with the betrayal from both her husband and brother. She accomplishes this with the help of Veronica, who shows Alejandra the alien and what it can do. Although initially reluctant, Alejandra eventually gives up all restraint, just like Veronica and Fabian did. Up until this point, we’ve seen Alejandra boxed in by her surroundings. She’s often shown within her household which creates a sense of claustrophobia. This runs parallel to how she feels about her current situation—closed in and trapped.
After engaging with the alien, Alejandra declares, “It makes me feel so good that it wipes out any resentment and hate.” We see her putting her life back together as she paints her house. But this joy is brief as Angel is released from prison.
Acceptance Through Pain And Pleasure
Angel, now having no home or family of his own, gets picked up by his parents. Only they don’t greet him with hugs and kisses. Instead, he’s met with the same ferocity against homosexuality that Fabin faced. His parents’ words are filled with disdain as they call him an embarrassment. Angel is then met with violence and a half hug as he breaks down. Thoughts of suicide emerge, but he can’t act upon it. Not yet.
The film’s climax culminates in a final meeting with the alien. It begins with an argument between Alejandra and Angel as Alejandra wants out of the relationship while Angel wants in. His abusive tendencies sprout once again. Angel’s anger against the world and, more importantly, against himself emerges as the domestic abuse continues. Luckily for Alejandra, Angel accidentally shoots his leg as he tries to point a gun at his wife.
Knowing that this is her only shot at freedom, Alejandra drives to the Alien to end everything once and for all. Alejandra drags Angel in front of the alien. The creature chooses pleasure or pain as a consequence of each of their repressions. Angel is given pain and death as he doesn’t want to accept himself even after getting caught. Alejandra’s reward is pleasure as she fully gives in. In a way, the alien frees them both.
This is Escalante’s final statement in the film, the answer to his central dramatic question about the dangers of repression. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t black and white. Rather, it’s a muddled grey, shifting because of outside forces like religion, family, and politics. But if we’re not careful, this repression can lead to violence against others and against yourself.
Categorized:Editorials Horror En Espanol
