Huesera: The Bone Woman (2023)

Huesera: The Bone Woman (2023)

A well-crafted bone-breaking body horror inspired by the titular Mexican folk legend

The Very Best

8.6

Movie

Mexico, Peru
Spanish
Drama, Horror, Mystery
2023
FEMALE DIRECTOR, MICHELLE GARZA CERVERA
Aida López, Alfonso Dosal, Enoc Leaño
93 min

TLDR

Now adding bones breaking to my list of phobias. Thanks!

What it's about

After praying for a baby, Valeria Hernandez and her husband rejoice when they receive good news from her doctor. However, a sinister supernatural entity threaten their newborn happiness.

The take

Huesera: The Bone Woman might not be the scariest film horror fans would see, but it does strike at the heart of the scary experience of motherhood. Through eerie sounds of breaking bones and weirdly contorted hands at the edge of beds, the film depicts new mother Valeria being haunted by the titular spirit, despite her prayer to the Virgin Mary. Valeria pleads for her husband and family to listen, though each time she does becomes proof of her faults as a mother. The terror in newcomer Natalia Solián’s face makes it all feel believable, but it’s the folk-inspired imagery of first-time feature director Michelle Garza Cervera that turns this film into a feminist masterpiece.

What stands out

This slow burn horror might not be for everyone, but each scene is carefully selected, meticulously framed, and captures a visceral experience. Valeria isn’t just babyproofing and packing away her power tools– she’s transforming her craft room into a nursery. When Valeria is the only one who hears someone at the door, it’s a few minutes too late until her husband bothers to respond. Each time she experiences something scary, everyone around her dismisses it as something else. Each moment, realistic or supernatural, has its own fear factor, but the underlying implications of each moment are far scarier than the moment itself.

Active Streaming Deals

$50 Off DirecTV Stream

$74.99

$64.99

Active Streaming Deals

69% Off NordVPN + 3 months Free

$14.99

$4.99

Active Streaming Deals

50% Off Sling

$40

$20

Active Streaming Deals

49% Off ExpressVPN

$12.95

$6.67

Comments

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Leave the World Behind (2023)

A hugely entertaining, visually inventive Black Mirror-style apocalyptic thriller that nails the ending

8.2

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

Nowhere (2023)

A riveting Spanish Netflix survival thriller brought to life in Anna Castillo’s performance

7.8

Elena Knows (2023)

A moving mother-daughter drama based on a Booker Prize shortlist novel

7.5

Victoria (2015)

Filmed in one continuous take and in real time on the streets of Berlin, ‘Victoria’ immerses the viewer in a heart-stopping drama

9.8

Mutt (2023)

A Sundance-awarded film that actually stands the test of time, a brave new addition to the trans cinema canon

8.3

A Most Violent Year (2014)

A stunning drama with excellent performances

8.0

The Wolf House (2018)

A bone-chilling fairy-tale, as mortifying as it is breathtaking

7.9

I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me (2023)

An eccentric Mexican crime thriller adaptation for the eccentric, satirical novel

7.0

Quién te cantará (2018)

A statement-making movie from a promising director

7.0

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.