When Evil Lurks | Rotten Tomatoes (original) (raw)

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Critics Consensus

A hard-hitting horror film whose surface-level frights are just as engaging as its thematic concerns, When Evil Lurks marks a viscerally unsettling addition to the possession horror canon.

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Audience Says

When Evil Lurks holds nothing back in its mission to unsettle the viewer -- and it mostly succeeds, even if it starts stronger than it finishes.

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Alison Willmore New York Magazine/Vulture What makes Demián Rugna’s film so effective is not the gore or the idea of a demonic contagion — it’s the way that the weaknesses of human nature, on both a personal and a systemic level, make stopping the corruption almost impossible once it appears. Dec 9, 2023 Full Review Alexandra Heller-Nicholas AWFJ.org When Evil Lurks is a shocking yet highly accomplished horror film, and Rugna’s name is one that demands to be up there with Cronenberg, Romero, Carpenter and Argento – this is a true master of the genre. Oct 26, 2023 Full Review Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News It’s breathlessly paced, sprints through a fleet 99 minutes and will give your nerves a big workout. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 25, 2023 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...progressively uninvolving and underwhelming... Rated: 1/4 Aug 7, 2024 Full Review Romey Norton Film Focus Online When Evil Lurks does so well in creating threatening situations and with its stomach churning violence and gruesome detail. The acting is some of the best I’ve seen in the horror genre for a long time. Their fear, distress and actions were all believable. Rated: 4/5 Jul 22, 2024 Full Review James Preston Poole The Cosmic Circus Defiantly crossing several lines even the most twisted of films in the genre wouldn’t dare step over, and coursing with a helpless, hopeless feeling, When Evil Lurks has the makings of a new high-mark for horror, for those who can stomach it at least. Rated: 5/5 Jul 13, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

sonya One of my favorite horror movie of 2023! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/23 Full Review Zaira B Good horror movie! I really recommend watching this Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/23 Full Review Len could Have been better, worth 1 watch but never again Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/21/23 Full Review Don't go I felt like it was all over the place Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/18/23 Full Review Paul D Powerful horror that, step by step, leads the viewer into an amazing miasma of folk horror, whether created from a real belief system or generated by the mind of the writer. It's a wonderful movie to dissect afterwards. Not everyone will experience it the same way. There's an underlying theme dealing with the way male toxicity often gets in the way of what should be done. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/18/23 Full Review Corey U That movie messed me and my wife up...I love it Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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When Evil Lurks: Trailer 2 When Evil Lurks: Trailer 2 2:10 When Evil Lurks: Trailer 1 When Evil Lurks: Trailer 1 0:57 View more videos

Synopsis When brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodríguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomón) discover that a demonic infection has been festering in a nearby farmhouse -- its very proximity poisoning the local livestock -- they attempt to evict the victim from their land. Failing to adhere to the proper rites of exorcism, their reckless actions inadvertently trigger an epidemic of possessions across their rural community. Now they must outrun an encroaching evil as it corrupts and mutilates everyone it is exposed to, and enlist the aid of a wizened "cleaner," who holds the only tools that can stop this supernatural plague.

Director

Demián Rugna

Producer

Fernando Díaz, Roxana Ramos

Screenwriter

Demián Rugna

Distributor

IFC Films

Production Co

Aramos Cine, Shudder Films, Machaco Films

Genre

Horror

Original Language

Spanish

Release Date (Theaters)

Oct 6, 2023, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)

Oct 27, 2023

Box Office (Gross USA)

$544.7K

Runtime

1h 39m

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