Veronica: Style Over Scares

Recently, everyone was buzzing about a new Spanish horror movie that dropped on Netflix called Veronica. Numerous articles featured tweets from people saying it’s the “scariest movie ever.”

After seeing the headlines and reactions, I knew I had to watch it. So I immediately jumped on Netflix. It was late at night, I had the surround sound cranked all the way up, and I was all alone. Other people would have thought I was crazy for going in alone. But I love being scared. And I was excited to see the “scariest movie ever.”

To top it all off, it’s directed by Paco Plaza. He co-directed one of the scariest movies of them all, 2007’s found footage horror flick, [REC]. Another reason why I was so excited.

Veronica opens pretty strong with a terrified call to police. A title appears telling us that it’s based on a real-life story. The police arrive in pouring rain to a strange scene. Kids are in the street crying and a woman wanders by scared and confused. We follow the officers as they enter an apartment building. Everything is destroyed. And down a long, dark hallway we hear faint growling noises behind a closed door. We flash back a few days to a young teenager named Veronica trying to get her three siblings ready for school. And the movie continues from there.

So now that I’ve seen it, is Veronica the scariest movie ever? No. Not at all. And now a lot more people have seen it. And they’re saying the same thing. Veronica isn’t actually the scariest movie of all time.

Once again, it was Netflix’s clever marketing. They found a way to build up all this hype for the movie and reel us in. They did the same thing recently for The Cloverfield Paradox.

But is Veronica still a good movie? The Cloverfield Paradox turned out to be pretty bad. But this time, I’m happy to say that Veronica is still a pretty good movie. Even though it isn’t that scary.

Credit: Sony Pictures International Productions / "Veronica"

The main thing that makes Veronica good is Paco Plaza’s directing and the beautiful cinematography. Seriously, Veronica has some of the best cinematography and most inventive filmmaking I’ve ever seen in a horror movie. If you’ve seen it, you’ll know what I’m talking about. And that’s not at all what I was expecting to take away from this movie. But I noticed it right away. It impressed me more than anything else.

Credit: Sony Pictures International Productions / "Veronica"

You know how some movies are plagued with the staple, style over substance? Veronica is a similar example. Except it’s a new case of “style over scares.” The scares weren’t able to keep me invested. But I was simply mesmerized by the amazing art-house style cinematography and incredible camera work. The filmmaking alone kept me invested in the story and kept my eyes glued to the screen.

Credit: Sony Pictures International Productions / "Veronica"

The movie is filled with incredible and unique visual story telling from beginning to end. And there are so many clever and inventive shots in almost every scene. A lot of them utilize mirrors and light. And they become their own themes throughout the movie. They also elevate certain scenes, making them creepier and building tension. And they also help elevate the narrative.

Credit: Sony Pictures International Productions / "Veronica"

My favorite examples of Plazas stylish filmmaking here are two amazing long takes in one unbroken shot. One of them occurs when the kids are in a circle chanting a song together. And the camera spins around in a circle as terrifying noises are heard off-screen. The other is a long take of Veronica running through the apartment trying to save her brother. The camera follows her through a window and lands with her on the other side.

Credit: Sony Pictures International Productions / "Veronica"

Among all the tweets raving about how scary Veronica was, I saw a few tweets saying that Paco Plaza should direct the next The Conjuring movie.

And that I can agree with. The Conjuring franchise is one of the best and most popular horror franchises out there right now. And it’s widely known for it’s fresh and clever filmmaking by director, James Wan. Paco Plaza would fit right at home in place of James Wan, with the unique, art-house style filmmaking he exhibits in Veronica. Without a doubt, Plaza’s filmmaking would bring a fresh spin to The Conjuring universe. But unfortunately, chances of him ever directing a Conjuring movie are slim to none. He doesn’t bring in the same box office numbers that James Wan is known for.

So for now, lets appreciate and support the unique and original movies that Paco Plaza does create, like Veronica. And thankfully, Netflix makes viewing movies like his a lot easier.

Veronica isn’t perfect. And I was disappointed that it didn’t quite live up to the hype of being the “scariest movie ever.” But the incredible camerawork and beautiful cinematography more than made up for it. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a smile on my face by the end of it.

Veronica is a fresh treat for horror fans. Especially those who appreciate new and inventive visual storytelling.

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