Rosario Review: One Cool Horror Idea Wasted in a Mostly Forgettable Film

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Frequently, horror movies that live up to their label as genuinely terrifying are hard to come by. While they can appear in films of all budgets, creating a movie that genuinely scares an audience requires talent. More often than not, I approach a horror film with the hope, rather than the expectation, of being scared.

Instead of what I initially suggested, let me rephrase it as follows: What I anticipate instead is innovative thinking. The horror genre often involves both repetition and innovation, where we continuously revisit familiar scenarios but strive to unearth something unexpected from them. Ideally, you’d end up with something completely novel and unique, but such instances are not common. A single original concept, intriguing twist, or imaginative death scene can be all a movie requires to win over fans who will happily spread the word about it.

Under the direction of first-time filmmaker Felipe Vargas, this movie isn’t frightening or exceptionally good. For much of its duration, it lacks significant originality. However, when the film chooses to reveal its hand, a single intriguing concept emerges. Unfortunately, this idea remains underdeveloped and, in my opinion, is not executed effectively enough to compensate for the movie’s flaws. Nevertheless, it does exist within the narrative.

Rosario Doesn’t Do Enough With Its Solid Horror Premise

For Most Of Its Runtime, At Least

Initially, we encounter the main character, Rosario, in 1999, during her first communion celebration within their Brooklyn apartment with her immigrant family. Her mother Elena (Diana Lein) is stern and ailing, while her father Oscar (José Zúñiga) expresses fond hopes for Rosario’s future as their shared aspiration. However, Griselda (Constanza Gutierrez), who appears shady and secretive, and hides maggots in her room, doesn’t seem as devoutly Catholic as the rest. Only later do we discover that she practices Palo, a belief system which remains hidden to both Rosario and us for much of the story.

Shifting to the current scenario, Rosario (Emeraude Toubia) has achieved financial success, fulfilling her father’s aspirations for her. However, she has neglected multiple calls from her grandmother throughout the day. Unfortunately, when she eventually answers, it’s not her grandmother on the line, but the building superintendent (Paul Ben-Victor). The sad news is that Griselda has passed away. Given that she was undocumented and didn’t have a will, it would be beneficial if a family member could be present when her body is retrieved.

As Rosario starts to dig deeper, she realizes that something otherworldly is pursuing her. Her grandmother’s voice apologizing over the phone, flashes of her deceased mother, the chilling apartment building, and the peculiar wounds on Griselda’s body all point towards this. With a vicious blizzard trapping her inside, Rosario races against time to uncover the truth before she meets an untimely end.

Rosario’s script struggles particularly with the plot development. The sequence of events lacks originality in many places, even bordering on being comical at times. Vargas attempts to create tension by casting doubt everywhere, but none of the potential suspects are convincing enough to keep viewers guessing. Griselda’s super and neighbor (David Dastmalchian) appear strange, yet fail to present a credible threat. One conclusion drawn by Rosario is so glaringly incorrect that watching it unfold becomes frustrating.

Rosario’s One Interesting Concept Isn’t Going To Cut It

Not If Vargas Wants To Walk The Path Of Sam Raimi

In essence, the movie Rosario appears to be heavily influenced by Sam Raimi’s films, particularly his Evil Dead series and Drag Me to Hell. The filmmakers effectively employ striking design elements, especially in areas of grotesque detailing. The film is most entertaining when it focuses on the apartment, Griselda’s body, or the recurring visions of Rosario’s mother, which grow progressively more disturbing as the story unfolds. A particular effect involving a corpse’s mouth is revisited multiple times, and I must admit, it proves effective each time – it’s a technique that doesn’t disappoint.

To simply imitate Sam Raimi requires more than just hideous makeup effects and occasional camera angles. The essence of his horror films lies in their ingenuity, where the compulsion to consistently create something fresh and captivating becomes a self-propelling power. Unfortunately, the film Rosario places too much trust in tired tropes instead of pushing boundaries, and the direction lacks the strength to elevate the overly familiar narrative it follows.

It isn’t until the final act that the film truly comes alive, as Rosario’s initial backstory, which primarily served to justify Griselda’s faith throughout most of the movie, is effectively utilized. Watching a significantly improved movie at this point is enjoyable, yet it raises questions. For instance, I found myself questioning why Rosario didn’t exhibit these characteristics earlier in the storyline.

Essentially, this episode seems like a tangent; it’s not tightly connected to the overall narrative, making it difficult for the movie to regain its momentum. With a few more rewrites to effectively incorporate this concept and give it significance, this could have resulted in a much more positive critique. As it currently stands, Rosario elongates the material that would have made an excellent short film into a less impactful full-length feature.

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2025-05-01 21:38