Terrified (2017) User Reviews

About time!

[Patient444 · 7/10 · 26 January 2019]

Ahh, a breath of fresh air! Can you feel it too? You the one about to read some movie info in order to make the best decision: see it or not? Of course you have to see it! Even its name is on point, as it seriously delivers a massive quantity of fear and panic.

I can't go into too many details with this one as I fear i might ruin it for you, so just understand that it is a big step up from your average horror/supernatural, with lovely elements from both worlds, combined into a small gem.

Aterrados is proof that Latin countries are starting to develop better horror than our casual Hollywood productions, because if you put this next to Silent House (Uruguay) and a big list of Mexico and Spanish movies, well, the future looks bright and world wide.

Cheers!

Refreshingly Well Done

[SomaQuest · 7/10 · 14 October 2018]

This Argentinian addition to the horror genre is a refreshing submission from a fledgling director. Written and directed without the usual hubris that we as humans can solve any supernatural problem by basically willing it away and shot in a way which evokes a feeling of being lost from the beginning. Told in a non-linear format with the vantage point being that of multiple characters, each with their own observations and fears keeping the movie fresh through it relatively short run time.

With a few masterfully and patiently created scares blended seamlessly into a engrossing and thoughtful plot this film is a welcome addition to the currently bland horror movie genre.

This movie is amazing

[bachito1996 · 7/10 · 27 May 2018]

Seriously, this movie is one of the best horror films in years. It was a great and scary surprise when i watched on the theatre (i never except nothing of a horror movie). I hope this movie can be released in other countries, it worth it. By the way, the plot did not answer all of the questions the movie created, so I am waiting for the second part. Please producers and director, do not let me down.

An All-Out Assault On The Senses

[CinemaClown · 9 July 2020]

Jam-packed with genuinely effective & downright terrifying jump scares, Terrified (also called Aterrados) doesn't waste any time in bringing the horror element into play and is unsettling from its opening moments. The plot & characters are barely serviceable and yet when it comes to scaring the audience, it is a relentless assault on the senses.

Written & directed by Demián Rugna, the film is far more interested in leaving its viewers a startled mess instead of refining its story or fleshing out the characters. The set-up is simple, pacing is brisk, and instead of steadily escalating the tension by gradually intensifying the paranormal activities, Rugna introduces it on screen in full measure from the beginning.

Much of the explanation regarding ghost encounters rarely makes sense but one is less inclined to be bothered by it when it keeps throwing an endless barrage of frights with zero respite. Still, the middle & final acts fail to enrich the experience further and it is never clear about who is supposed to be the main character here. As for its atmosphere & sound, both aspects are praiseworthy.

Overall, Terrified manages to leave most of its audience in the titular state, and is a fast, frenetic & frightening chiller that unleashes absolute terror with its spooky imagery and leaves a lasting mark in the scary department. A stronger narrative & compelling characters would've benefitted it some more but what it set out to do, it delivers that in terrifying doses. In short, this Argentinian horror is worth a shot.

The horror is top tier; the rest, not so much.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 6/10 · 4 August 2021]

'Terrified (2017)' is a film that focuses wholly on its scares, to the point that it actually sort of shoots itself in the foot a little. What I mean is that everything other than its horror is so barebones that it's actually difficult to care about, or even remember, anything that's going on. Though the scary sequences are truly well achieved, they don't have nearly as much impact as they could have if the flick's other elements weren't neglected as much as they are. The picture has a protagonist problem that sees the audience bounce about from person to person for far too long before settling on someone who finally feels like (at least in retrospect) a 'main character'. This is just one of the factors that adds up to that 'narrative neglect' I mentioned earlier. The others include a general lack of structure, a pace that's almost too fast (if there is such a thing) and a few story points that don't quite line up with the otherworldly explanation offered towards the end. It probably sounds like I don't like the picture, but that isn't true. It's entertaining enough in the moment and it has a strong atmosphere. Plus, (as I've mentioned already) it has more than a handful of genuinely high-calibre scares and it never takes the easy, 'cattle prod' approach even though there are more than enough jump scares throughout (including one of the best, most earned shocks I've recently seen). Despite its issues, the film isn't bad at all. The trouble is that it's really, really forgettable. Still, it's arguable that good experiences are worth having even if you don't remember them. If you want some top-notch horror, that's certainly the case here. 6/10.

A Mix-up

[terrazygotes-30881 · 6/10 · 6 January 2020]

First of all, the art on the poster is excellent, which attracted me to this film. Unfortunately no visual in the film matched this. I found the first death scene very creepy, although I think, that the husband's reaction could have been more intense. If Iwitnessed something like that, I'd be overwhelmed with horror. It was the scariest scene in the film, I thought. After that the film started going all over the place, showing paranormal events in three different residences. The events really didn't have much, if any continuity, nor explanation, which diminished my interest. In the end, a group of scientists and police investigated these paranormal occurrences, but came to no understanding of them. So the film has some interesting, paranormal scenes, with very little cohesion to them.

Some flaws, but good scares and original...Definitely worth a look

[dan-bgb · 7/10 · 27 December 2018]

First off, I like the film. It is creepy, part 'The Conjuring', part 'The Beyond'. What I didn't care for (more of an 'irritant' than anything else), is that it lacks character development...it doesn't 'focus' on any one person and build a story around them, but 'jumps' around, and just leaves us wondering what happened to character 'A'. That, and some idiotic inconsistencies, such as when a character keeps telling others that they need to leave... it's like, 'leave already, no one is stopping you'...but inevitably sticks around...with predictable results. And then, someone miraculously 'recovers' after a major health episode, one that has him begging to go to the hospital...and what does he do ? He goes off by himself... and has a smoke ! But, if you don't analyze it too much, and just go in to have fun and get some scares, it's a good film.

A solid effort that fails to tie all the loose ends

[Milo-Jeeder · 6/10 · 27 August 2018]

In "Aterrados", we see different supernatural events taking place in the suburbs of an unnamed Buenos Aires town. The first eerie events occur inside the house of a young couple, who find their home invaded by a strange invisible presence. One night, the woman is violently attacked by this supernatural force, resulting in her death, for which her husband is later hold accountable. In a different place, a young boy meets a gruesome death after being hit by a bus, only to rise from the dead and return to his home in a state of decomposition. Finally, a young man desperately seeks professional help after being harassed by a ghost-like creature that wanders around his house during the night. A police officer, a sheriff and two investigators of paranormal events step in to find out what the heck is going on with these cases, given that these strange events took place in different locations, but in the same block, which, clearly, cannot be a coincidence.

"Aterrados" is a film that gently makes the effort to give the audience a quality product and given the modest budget, this is very much appreciated. However, Demián Rugna, who both directed and wrote the film, fails to tie all the loose ends of what initially promises a somewhat polished story. While the second half provides a nice amount of gruesome imagery and some surprisingly decent special effects, the story falls short, by failing to provide solid answers to understand the paranormal events that take place in this particular area. The only explanation that we briefly get from one of the investigators is that water has something to do with this gruesome mess. Apparently, water contains microorganisms that connect the realms of the dead and the living. So, initially, only Walter's house is inhabited by supernatural entities and it is the source of all the tragic events that occur throughout the film (for example: the boy drinks water from an outdoor faucet, which eventually possesses him and the neighbor couple come in contact with the water, as a result of the home renovations done by Walter). Other than that, we don't really know what these supernatural entities are up to and we don't quite get an explanation regarding their nature. At some point, it is mentioned that these forces crave for blood, which provides them with a vampire-like quality, I suppose. Be that as it may, the explanations are unsatisfying. Is there a particular force, entity or presence responsible for everything that happened? Ghosts stories are usually annoyingly similar when it comes to give us a climax with an explanation regarding the supernatural events, but I would have gladly accepted a cliché over nothing. While some directors manage to get away with a convoluted story that doesn't tie all the lose ends, they provide a strong dream-like atmosphere that makes up for the messiness, which Rugna fails to provide in this particular film. In a film directed by Fulci, the stylish cinematography compensates the lack of a solid plot full of loose ends... Rugna cannot afford to do that, at least in this case.

Though I personally didn't care for it that much, "Aterrados" is not exactly a bad flick. It manages to stay away from any type of unintended hilarity and Rugna shows a lot of potential by creating genuinely disturbing moments of tension, which is crucial in a horror flick. The gruesome imagery, great photography and good camera work make this film worthy of, at least, a single watch (or maybe two, in case you want to make sure you didn't miss anything).

Parallel thinking

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 1 March 2019]

Actually not just thinking. But you do have to bend your mind to follow this movie. If you want to that is. Because it really is freaky and makes quite a story. The characters don't seem to know where this is going and as a viewer you may feel lost quite a few times.

The horror feels real and might get to you. Especially because it is so hard to grasp. You can't really tell where it will be coming from, where it will be going. Add to that an enhanced sense of dreadness. The photography and sound design is amazing. Having said all that, it still will bore some people. People who like flashy jump scares. This is not ordinary, which may either be considered good or bad. I think movies that take risks are worth watching, especially when they are done so well ...

Horror and Nothing Less

[EdgarST · 6/10 · 7 March 2019]

Scare yourself a little. No, it is not a zombie movie. It is more than that. This movie will scare you, no doubt. This movie is for you if you are just looking for a good scare or feel uncomfortable with the unknown (or what awaits you in the next shot). This is a Latin American show of well-digested horror cinema from all over the world, which has legions of fans. Do not take it too hard, or it is you who will be taken by the pale man. If you are looking for a horror movie that has something to do with Argentinian culture (lol), if you want explanations or learn where everything comes from, forget it. Either the budget was too short or it was expressly done like it is (so it seems), so the tale is open for «Aterrados 2». Almost all the central cast is over 45 years old and the elderly ghostbusters handle the mattes with a serious face that conceals the humor, so conviction is not lacking. Apart from that, the movie is also an example of (healthy) economy: about six central actors, three or four main locations and ready, let's shoot the stuff before the American film industry lures Demián Rugna, to see if he revitalizes its present agonizing horror cinema.

I really wanted to like it....

[syldt1 · 4/10 · 11 March 2019]

As a fan of the genre and an Argentinian myself, I was excited with the release of this movie. I couln't be more wrong. While the premise itself is somewhat innovative and fresh, the execution is not. The plot is all over the place; it's a boilerplate of every cliché in the history of horror movies (Pet Sematary, Red Lights, and every B-movie in the genre). The director seemed to have many ideas and decided to put them all in, but without any connection or logic. The acting is surprisingly bad, dialogue is stilted and odd (we Argentinians do not speak like the folks in this movie!). I was glad that the version I watched had english subtitles or I wouldn't have been able to understand much of the dialogues. Situations happen nonsensically and sometimes they are unintentionally funny (which is not a good sign in a horror movie). It had potential and some original-ish ideas, but the director squandered it all with stupid decisions and twists that are not even twists, just a mess with no explanation or logical closure.

Superior supernatural horror shocker

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 13 April 2022]

A doctor specializing in the paranormal, her colleague, and an ex-cop join forces to investigate strange and unnerving supernatural events that are happening in a heretofore sleepy neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

Writer/director Demian Rugna relates the compelling story at a constant pace, expertly crafts a supremely creepy and unsettling dread-ridden atmosphere, builds a considerable amount of skin-crawling tension, and maintains a dark and morbid brooding tone throughout. Moreover, the various apparitions are quite grotesque and frightening while the characters come across as relatable everyday folks doing their best to try to understand peculiar circumstances which are beyond ordinary comprehension. An excellent scarefest.

Not horrible, but not great.

[a-n-awd · 6/10 · 30 March 2019]

Good horror scenes, but no one can understand whats the story about the events that is happening in the movie, can't really understand the ending or can i say there is no ending.

Meh.

[ranwulfs · 3/10 · 27 March 2020]

Not sure what all the hype is about. While there are certainly some substantial visual scares, the plot is largely non-existent. The pace is agonizingly slow. I fell asleep 3 times while streaming, and had to keep going back. Also - most of the characters don't seem to react in any way remotely "natural" when confronted with supernatural goings on: Dead kid at the breakfast table? No worries, we'll just go outside and calmly chat about it - leaving the unconscious mother lying on the couch in the next room. Weirdly distorted and bloody things chasing you around? Just drive a block or two away, and have a smoke. Spooky beings under your bed and/or walking around your bedroom? Just climb back and pull the covers over your head! Nevermind the *gun* you have in the next room - don't get that out until it's too late! I could go on. One of the biggest complaints regarding any horror film dealing with supernatural events is that characters aren't reacting logically. Sometimes that can be excused by the events of the movie, but not so in this film. Anyway - this is hardly the cinematic event some reviews are making it out to be. I'd pass on it, tbh. You're not going to miss anything.

"Nothing Really Scares You, Right?!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 16 February 2020]

TERRIFIED is an inventive, original, and highly effective horror film from Argentina.

A paranormal investigator (Elvira Onetto) and a forensics expert (Norberto Gonzalo) work together with the rest of their assembled team to solve a bizarre mystery. It seems that a neighborhood has become the epicenter for supernatural phenomena. The team must split up, in order to uncover what has happened in three separate homes. As the evening progresses, the terror increases, culminating in a nightmare of ghoulish death.

If you enjoy disturbing, unpredictable stories of the paranormal variety, then this should satisfy!...

Fear at its best !

[damienmassart · 7/10 · 17 March 2019]

A very - and scary - good surprise ! The first half is amazing, with a lot of scary scenes that create a climate of very dense fear. OMG, if you are scared by things lying under the bed or monsters hiding in wardrobes, you may be traumatized ! I am more circumspect about the second half of the movie . We return to more common supernatural inquiry, and the plot fades a little. There are still some very good sequences punctuated by good jump scares that keep us alert until the end. This is one of the scariest movies I've watched this year and I easily give him the rating of 7.

The scariest sight of a dead kid

[gedikreverdi · 6/10 · 30 May 2021]

The kid coming from his grave sitting by the table with a glass of milk in his house not moving at all was one of the creepiest things ever. The fact that his fingers was destroyed because he punched his coffin was really creepy. They hid him in the freezer in the garden and buried him again with cement on top but his mother brought him back. The hyperventilating overweight detective who's about to retire set the house on fire with the mother who hanged himself and his son whom she brought back home from his grave and became a fugitive. The opening scene when the woman was killed mid-air in the bathroom was impressive and his husband was institutionalized. Their neighbor who was haunted by an old man under his bed became one of them and sucked the psychiatrist woman into the wall. The other investigator became blind and so on. Overall the actors did a pretty good job but I'd love a twist or further detail regarding the script.

Effective Scares But Sloppy Plot

[JayDeeezy · 6/10 · 19 September 2022]

This movie starts off strong and sets a creepy tone with a solid pace of good scares. As the plot unravels, the characters and their respective roles in terms of how they contribute to the plot become confusing - the final protagonist is never really established for example. There is an attempt to tell an interesting paranormal story, but just as soon as it starts to get interesting, it just kind of ends...leaving many questions up in the air. Some of the characters actions are very unrealistic - this is juxtaposed against other characters' acting very realistically. This was a jarring clash that took me out of the movie. Overall, interesting story that could've been a standout with the horror tone they set, but the messy story brings it down closer to mediocre.

Heck yeah Argentina, bravo

[Howling_at_the_Moon_Reviews · 7/10 · 12 January 2022]

This movie was great, while also having amazing potential. With a bigger budget and some character development this honestly could have been a 9 in the horror world.

Was it genuinely terrifying? For me, hell yeah. While there were some jump scares, it didn't heavily rely on cheap tricks and it really sunk its teeth into the atmospheric terror in each scene. The cgi and practical effects were... not amazing. I was shocked to see it was made when it was because the cgi and even the quality of the picture looked about 10 years old. However, the monster concept/design was totally there. I'd say it has more to do with budget (although the kid looked gnarly). If you can get past that, the monsters are super creepy.

I really found the plot and general concept very interesting. Multiple of these paranormal happenings in a confined area, playing out the way they did... it was cool and felt generally original to me. I wish we had more explanation and background on exactly what and why it was happening.

I also wish they had given us more character development/ character arc/ anything at all with any of the characters... we really did not get much at all on that front. However, they were good characters, a bit cliche but it worked fine for me. Acting was good across the board. It's hard to truly tell as an English speaker, but Rosentok's performance stuck out to me as a bit over the top.

Over all I thought this was a genuinely entertaining horror and I was actually scared for the first time in a while. It wasn't perfect but I would absolutely recommend to any horror fan, but if you're not into HORROR horror I would probably pass haha

SN: I watched this on Shudder and the subtitles were trash, just FYI. Like, I barley know Spanish and I know they were not always correct. Also, whole lines were missing captions at times. It was annoying, however don't let it deter you.

Aterrados!

[parry_na · 8/10 · 2 September 2022]

This is a really enjoyable, strange, low-key horror film from Argentina. Many scenes are filmed in a sickly yellow light, and the horrific prosthetics are often *just* out of focus. When they are dwelt upon, they look truly horrific.

The story, as has been said elsewhere, comes second to the scares - which is acceptable for the most part, because the film *is* scary, both in terms of jump scares and the overriding feeling of unease, which is beautifully conveyed.

The narrative sometimes descends into a tumble, with it being made unclear which moments are being told in flashback, and which characters to invest in. Truth be told though, this might even be deliberate to enhance the delirium.

A terrific film; happily, both a remake and an Argentinean sequel appear to be in the works. My core is 8 out of 10.

Watch it in the dark !!

[mykswong · 7/10 · 28 October 2018]

This is worth the watch. I like the mystery involved here and I know I'm in for a ride right from the beginning of the movie. The pacing, eerie and jump scare factor scores pretty high for me. It is not a new idea, but the approach that it took is pretty awesome. Monster design nice, Not much gore factor, but it made up with a number of epic scenes. The cult factor here is not bad either, lots of unexplained areas to explore.

Did the other raters watch a different movie?

[marialiiva · 1/10 · 29 July 2020]

One word, boring. It relies on loud jumpscares and almost all of the movie is people talking. Extremely slow paced and unoriginal. Why does this movie have such a high rating?

This is a horror masterpiece I'd strongly recommend

[kevin_robbins · 9/10 · 13 May 2021]

Terrified (2017) is an Argentinean horror movie I recently watched on Shudder after seeing a couple posts about it on here. The storyline focuses on some detectives who investigate some strange occurances at some houses virtually across the street from each other - first a murder than a corpse of a little boy that's sitting at the table of a family who buried him four days ago. Just as police feel comfortable they've got all the details on the occurances things really get exciting. This movie is directed by Damian Rugna (You Dont Know who You're Talking To) and was made with a fairly limited budget ($367,000). The acting, special effects, cinematography, intensity and gore in this is outstanding. Absolutely phenomenal. There were about 5 scenes that I don't think any director and special effects teams could have done better than how it was portrayed in this film - the opening bathroom scene, the video of the creature crawling out from under the bed (so creepy), the boy's corpse at the table, the police finding the creature under the bed and the hole in the wall scene. All remarkable. I absolutely adored this movie and wish I had jumped on it sooner. This is a horror masterpiece I'd strongly recommend and score it a solid 9/10. I hope they make a sequel by the same team.

Good but doesn't satisfy

[MikialUK · 6/10 · 11 November 2018]

The idea is great and it has been explored before in other horror films but in different ways. The acting is actually quite good but gets repetitive from one particular actor namely the policeman. There's one fantastic scene in the second act (it involves a child) which was absolutely terrifying and deserves to be in the top 10 most shocking scenes in horror films. That alone deserves a proper watch. The final act was a bit of a let down as there was no explanations to certain events or occurrences therefore leaving one guessing what is happening. In fact, those 3 scientists/people of authority were totally useless in the film. At least one of them could've been useful but they were all sadly wasted in a plot hole. The very end was ok. But overall it's a worth a watch and good attempt.

Childish, creepy, weird, nonsensical...but fun

[kuarinofu · 5/10 · 25 December 2019]

Aterrados doesn't make a lot of sense, but by the end of the film you still get a very basic explanation of what is supposed to be going on.

It's not really focused on anything in particular, just some random scenes mixed together, creepy and fun. Lots of things get set up but get no pay off whatsoever, they just abandon those.

At some point they ran out of story so they just did whatever.

I knew they had no ending so when the movie got to the final scene they literally throw it at you saying "whatever, the end!"

I still kinda loved it for it's childish but creepy scares.

It doesn't have a coherent story but it's short and fun so I didn't feel bad after it just sort of abruptly ended.