‘Pedro Páramo’ Review: A Ghostly Tale With Minimal Scares
When a horror film utilizes other subgenres to present its narrative, consider me intrigued. That’s why when I saw the poster of Netflix’s newest film Pedro Páramo, I was on board immediately. Without knowing any context of the film, it’s clear this is a horror film with a charro aesthetic. These are westerns, typically dramas, from The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. On the Netflix poster, we see the titular character played by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in cowboy attire and corpses floating around him. In the past, horror westerns have had trouble mixing the two subgenres together. Regardless, I still had high hopes for this film even before seeing the trailer.
The film follows two storylines. The first is the journey of Juan Precio (Tenoch Huerta) who travels to the small rural town of Comala. He goes a week after the death of his mother in order to accomplish her dying wish. Juan must go to the city where his parents met and receive what is owed to him. Once arriving, he meets the ghosts of the abandoned town who each tell their story of the events that tore apart the once lively area. This is when the second storyline and the meat of the story takes place. Both the viewers and Juan Precio witness the rise and fall of Pedro Paramo, a lover, a landowner, and a murderer.
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Pedro Páramo is an adaptation of the book by writer Juan Rulfo. While I can’t speak on how faithful this film is to the source material, the film itself is engaging with its storytelling. The narrative quickly turns into a complex tale once the town’s population begins to act upon their greed. This leaves for tense situations ending in violence and despair. It’s a promising story meant to keep you on your toes as the twists and turns come at you in full force. Yet, the film in itself does leave you wanting more.
Even though the story feels complete, I believe the occasional empty feeling arises from the director Rodrigo Prieto pulling his punches in certain aspects of the film. It feels especially true when it comes to displaying the harrowing events in Comala. For a film about an overlord’s escalation to power through violence, that violence occur off-screen. This approach maintains a specific tone throughout the film. It adds a voyeuristic lens as the viewers watch the flashbacks with Juan. Because of this, there’s a purgatory stillness to the film, which causes the tension to dissipate. You can say the same with the horror sequences. The attempt is clear but the horror ends up coming short.
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However, the stillness brought onto the screen does allow us to admire the work of the cinematographer Nico Aguilar. With over a decade of work between films and music videos, Aguilar shows his expertise with Pedro Páramo. Each beautiful frame crafts vibrant colors which adds life to the dead town of Comala. During the modern storyline with Juan Precio, Aguilar gives the film a sense of magical wonder with his shots. As Juan Precio stumbles across Comala, the grey corpses are juxtaposed with purple hues from the starry night. Aguilar mixes in the dead with the living so easily you can’t help by stare in awe of the breathtaking cinematography.
In addition to the outstanding cinematography, another positive aspect of the film is the impressive cast. With talents such as Tenoch Huerta, Roberto Sosa, Ilse Salas, and Mayra Batalla, each of these characters is given time to explore their character. Mayra Batalla, who plays Octavia in Huesera: The Bone Woman is a huge standout for me. As expected she brought life to her role as Damiana, the Indigenous maid to the Precio family. I wish I could say the same for Tenoch Huerta. While he did bring a good performance as Juan, his character does feel underutilized.
While some situations did leave me underwhelmed, overall Pedro Páramo is a decent watch. Its complex narrative intertwined with eye-catching frames is worth the view. I don’t necessarily see myself returning to this film. However, I am glad I was able to enter the town of Comala and experience the story of Pedro Páramo.
Summary
Netflix’s latest horror outing boasts gorgeous cinematography and stellar performances, but still leaves the viewer wanting more.
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