CREDIT: NETFLIX
Veronica is a terrifying film based on a true story. While it may not have the best amount of supernatural instances, the film's realism and acting is just a few of many reasons one should check it out

One of the most talked about movies this month has been the latest horror release on Netflix, Veronica. All over social media were posts about how it was the scariest movie of all time and that people couldn't even get half way through the film before turning it off. While this was a great marketing ploy, I failed to see the truth in any of the claims (the movie doesn't even start to get scary until half way through).

While Veronica was incredibly well done, it was nowhere near as scary as “critics” said it was. Veronica is a Spanish film about a young girl who has recently lost her father and is in now in charge of taking care of her siblings while her mother works late shifts at the diner. Missing her father, she does what every other naïve teen would do; use a Ouija board to try and come in contact with him. Like every other supernatural film, she instead releases an evil spirit that begins to haunt her and her siblings in their small apartment. What makes the film and its plot a bit scarier, is that it's based on a true story.

Unlike other supernatural horror movies, Veronica did an incredible job at keeping the realism alive throughout the entire film. There was no overuse of computer-generated imagery (CGI), blood or a ridiculous looking demon. For example, the main scene in the trailer (or the movie poster) where Veronica's mouth opens to scream; it over extends just enough to make you absolutely cringe. The realistic haunts in this film are what differentiates it from anything I've seen before.

Huge props also must go to the Veronica actress herself, played by Sandra Escacena and all her siblings in the film. The acting was so fluid and believable; it actually feels as if you are watching a real family interact on screen. Not to mention, the movie does a great job at making you fall in love with the younger siblings, making the second half of the movie that much more unbearable.

Where the movie lacks is in the number of supernatural instances. While the ones you do see are extremely well done, there are not enough of them. I understand they didn't want to overdo it so the film remained true to the real-life story, but it did give the movie a bit of drag and slowness to it.

Veronica was an extremely well done horror film and will definitely become a cult classic. However, the movie was really over-hyped. As uncomfortable and spooky as it was, Veronica was nowhere near one of the scariest movies out there. That being said, I still highly recommend checking this film out (in its original language (Spanish)) and also checking out the real-life story about Estefania Gutierrez Lazaro, after you've finished the movie. It makes the whole thing a bit creepier.