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Mexico Barbaro 2
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Unearthed Films Review written by and copyright: Eric Cotenas (13th February 2024). |
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The Film
 Mexico Barbaro 2 follows up the eight shorts in the previous entry with eight more shorts combining and mutating Mexican folklore and urban legends. "La leyenda de Juan Soldado" from Abraham Sánchez is a period piece depicting the wrongful execution of Mexican soldier Juan Castillo (Uri Meza) for the rape and murder of a girl actually committed by his commander. Learning of his innocence too late, those involved in his execution agree to cover it up under threat of death; however, the devil takes Juan's soul in exchange for allowing him to avenge his death (in the goriest way possible, of course). The short then cuts to real life, present day footage of the Tijuana shrines devoted to "Juan Soldado" who became a folk saint to those crossing the border (and presumably those victimized by authority). Although well-made for likely very little money, if offers nothing new to horror fans as far as "vengeance from beyond the grave" stories go apart from the folk legend source. "Paidos Phobos" from Diego Cohen – who has helmed three horror features since his found footage debut Perdidos (available on US streaming services as "Strayed") – is a virtual one-woman-show as María (Pilar Fernandez) lives in fear of something behind a bedroom door she locks from the outside. Fractured editing makes it unclear whether she might have murdered a monstrous child or struck a deal with a demonic entity to birth one after a rape (or possibly the rapist is food for the monster she must feed). Atmospheric and vaguely reminiscent of various J-horror involving haunted women, but not particularly satisfying. Making something subversive out of a predictable scenario, "Potzonalli" from prolific TV director Fernando Urdapilleta (Estrellas solitarias) invites the viewer (literally) to observe the joyous festivities as a battered mother, molested teenage daughter, horribly-disfigured teenage son, and mercilessly bullied younger son prepare a meal of Pozole with a very special kind of pork for the alcoholic head of the family. Less shocking for its practical gore than for its family dynamics, it is hard to fell just how warped they were before their act of liberation but they seem to have abandoned all restrictive (re: Catholic) inhibitions in the aftermath. "Bolas de Fuego" from Christian Cueva (in between episodes of Shark Tank Mexico) and Ricardo Farias (writer of Adrian Garcia Bogliano's latest La Exorcista) finds nerdy filmmakers Héctor (Satanic Hispanics' Pedro Joaquín) and Fer (Fernando Guisa) planning to make a revolutionary kind of porno video with a side of devil worship; however, their potential sacrifices (Patricia Leih and Gloria Berdeja) turn out to have infernal plans of their own, and they want it captured all on video. Thoroughly juvenile and shot through with various porn spam overlays and presumably intentionally-terrible digital effects, "Bolas de Fuego" is the most V/H/S-esque of the films, and not in a good way. "Vitriol" from Michelle Garza Cervera (Huesera: The Bone Woman) is the most interesting although perhaps it is compromised by the length restrictions of the short form. Model Fernanda (Corina Lutski) is obsessed with her looks; seemingly so much so that she fears leaving her apartment. Surrounded by photographic depictions of her perfect beauty lensed by boyfriend Sebastian (Esteban Soberanes), Fernanda can no longer stand how her outside no longer reflects what is inside and decides on a means of rectifying this contradiction. Only upon Sebastian's return hand his reaction to her new look do we come to understand this drastic act of bodily autonomy. "No Te Duermas" from Sergio Tello (Atroz) is perhaps the most relatable to viewers who as kids had a fear of the dark. Going through the split up of his parents after just having lost his grandmother, young Edgar (Francisco Leyva) starts acting out, convinced that a monster will get him if he does not adhere to all of rules his grandmother has told him about the things that will happen if he is not a good little boy. His father (Ramón Medína) assures him that they are all old wives' tales; however, aren't we all scared children in the dark of the night… In "Ya Es Hora" from Carlos Meléndez (Hysteria), a pair of social outcasts decide to invoke a demon to punish their "mean girl" bully and "all who follow her." On their side, things go out with a whimper rather than a bang. Unbeknownst to them, however, a local sleepover is about to explode into a gooey puddle of melting skin, overinflated bodies, and vomited nails as the devil comes to claim his prize. Far from a screed against bullying, it is more a piece of gory wish fulfillment that goes for humor rather than horror. Youthful pathos and juvenile performances are overshadowed by extensive practical effects. Finally in "Exodoncia" from Lex Ortega (Human Animals), the disturbing visions of a heroin-addicted woman (The Darkest Days of Us's Florencia Ríos) become externalized when a demon first demands offerings gorily extracted from her own person, and then demands more and more, forcing her to seek out other victims in between fixes. A catalog of acts of self-mutilation, this is perhaps the most "Unearthed Films" entry, but it feels more like something thrown together for the portmaneau rather than a "passion project" of any kind. On their own, the shorts of Mexico Barbaro 2 would probably be better enjoyed than together for some sort of overall effect it does not achieve. 
Video
Shot on a variety of HD cameras and subjected to different kinds of grading and degrees of digital effects, Unearthed Films' 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 widescreen presentation (some tales are in different aspect ratios) is as mixed a bag as the stories themselves. They are all professionally-lensed, but the styles vary from the desaturated to the garishly-colored as suited to the material. 
Audio
Spanish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 stereo tracks are offered with optional English subtitles. The 2.0 mix gets the job done, but the 5.1 track gives a more enveloping sense for some of the more ambitious productions like "La leyenda de Juan Soldado" and "No Te Duermas" where lurching sounds at the rear prepare the viewer for lunging scares. 
Extras
Extras consist of EPK featurettes for five of the eight episodes. "La Leyenda De Juan Soldado" (9:12) focuses on the challenges of getting the period production value on a budget, "Bolas De Fuego" (7:59) looks at the overall working methods of directorial pair Cueva's and Farias' company Giant Stories on the short, "Vitriol" offers the shortest behind the scenes look at thirty-six seconds followed by an extensive effects still gallery (8:00). "No Te Duermas" (3:22) and "Exodoncia" (2:31), of course, focus on the effects make-up designs.  The disc also includes a stills gallery (1:36) and the theatrical trailer (1:53).
Overall
On their own, the shorts of Mexico Barbaro 2 would probably be better enjoyed than together for some sort of overall effect it does not achieve.
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