• Release year: 2017
• Director: Paco Plaza.
• Producer: Enrique López Lavigne.
• Screenplay by: Paco Plaza and Fernando Navarro.
• Cinematography by: Pablo Rosso.
• Music by: Eugenio Mira.

Shotgun Commentary: A chilling, frustrating work of art.

Review

Verónica is a film based on a real event that took place in Madrid during the 90s. The incident started with an emergency call in the middle of the night and resulted in the death of 17-year-old Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro. Strange phenomena were witnessed prior to her death and during the police’s investigation of the apartment. As a result, this was the first time the police acknowledged supernatural events officially, on record. The report would be known as Expediente Vallecas.

The story follows Verónica (Sandra Escacena), the fictional counterpart of Estefanía. She is the oldest of four children in the household of a single mother who works as a bartender. Because yes, that was possible in the 90s. Since her mother is always working or sleeping, it is up to Verónica to take care of them. To make sure they are fed, washed, and on time in school.

On a fateful eclipse day, Veronica decides to hide in the school basement with two classmates. While everyone is distracted by the occultation, they do an ouija session to try and contact her father. The activity is not as enlightening as Verónica expected, nor as fun as her friends did. Instead, Verónica is momentarily possessed, freaking everyone out and whispering a chilling omen before passing out.

Playing with fire

The session opens the door for an unknown, evil entity to come after Verónica and her family. The teenager is forced to face her supernatural stalker scared and alone, armed with nothing but the vague advice of Sister Death (Consuelo Trujillo). Still, she is quite capable of making mostly reasonable decisions, which is a complete rarity in the genre. Verónica not only comes across as an intelligent girl but also as a caring sister. She is always putting her siblings’ wellbeing before hers.

This is Escacena’s first role, and she absolutely crushes it. It is no surprise that her career now features many horror titles, as she truly thrives in the genre. Her performance is perfectly balanced, conveying the intensity of teen feelings without going overboard and the fear of someone facing death without falling into exaggerated melodrama. Not only is her performance the driving force behind the film, but also a very respectful imitation of a real-life young girl who went through absolute hell.

Abstract enough

Additionally, the film leaves the door open for the possibility that Verónica was maybe poisoned and hallucinating during the days prior to her death. While the supernatural component is very present—as indeed was present in the original report—the ending of the feature is abstract enough to give way to other potential readings.

Verónica’s nightmares could be the result of a supernatural predator but also of the drastic hormone and temperature changes that her body is going through as it experiences her first period. Her fugue states could be signs of stress, anxiety or depression, something that a teenager who also part-times as a substitute mother is likely to have sooner or later, especially if her only friend begins to substitute her.

By the end of the film, you are still not sure if Verónica is being haunted or having a mental breakdown that nobody bothers to understand. Either way, the tragedy of the situation is as clear as its supernatural aspects, which speaks volumes of Plaza’s respect for the original true-life events.

All in all, Verónica is a fascinating, albeit tragic, watch. As a film, it is respectful of its source material and of its audience’s time. It presents the events dutifully, trying to explain what Verónica went through during the last three days of her life without any unnecessary flourishes. If you like horror and despise nonsense, this is the movie for you.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Teen girls are perfectly capable of taking care of their younger siblings. That does not mean they should have to.
• Some friendships are not worth suffering over.
• Do not mess with ouija boards, especially if you do not know how to use them.

What’s your take? Have you watched Veronica? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀