The plot of The Old Ways concerns a Mexican American journalist named Cristina, who goes back to the town where she was born in Veracruz, on an assignment to write a story about the titular old ways. While exploring a cave site called La Boca, she is kidnapped by locals who then explain to her that they're only trying to save her soul. For you see, only the possessed deliberately seek out La Boca.
Cristina, who had been staying with her cousin Miranda, had been repeatedly warned not to go to La Boca. Flashbacks show the viewer that Cristina has a history, not just with that particular site, but also with the bruja who is now holding her captive and trying to drive a demon out of her body. Cristina's mother had been a patient of the bruja years earlier. As the story unfolds, the viewer is left wondering if: Cristina is hallucinating, because it would appear that she's a heroin addict. The whole possession thing might be a cover for a different type of dangerous endeavor taking place at La Boca. Cristina might have come back for revenge against the bruja. Or maybe she really is possessed, and has been ever since that first incident shown in the cold open.
The narrative lets the viewer continue to wonder as it plays out its cards ever so patiently. Eventually Cristina figures out who to trust, but it turns out that even trusting the right person might not be enough when the enemy is so canny and manipulative. Some people are complaining about the suddenness with which a certain turnabout takes place, and yeah, there's a super cheesy line that could have been uttered with more conviction (if you're gonna try to pull off a horror one-liner then you should swing for the fences) but there's also an intuitive leap that is shown, not told, to the viewer. If you're paying attention you'll see how that happens.
Overall, this is a satisfying possession horror and worth a spot in your queue if you like the genre.
Cristina, who had been staying with her cousin Miranda, had been repeatedly warned not to go to La Boca. Flashbacks show the viewer that Cristina has a history, not just with that particular site, but also with the bruja who is now holding her captive and trying to drive a demon out of her body. Cristina's mother had been a patient of the bruja years earlier. As the story unfolds, the viewer is left wondering if: Cristina is hallucinating, because it would appear that she's a heroin addict. The whole possession thing might be a cover for a different type of dangerous endeavor taking place at La Boca. Cristina might have come back for revenge against the bruja. Or maybe she really is possessed, and has been ever since that first incident shown in the cold open.
The narrative lets the viewer continue to wonder as it plays out its cards ever so patiently. Eventually Cristina figures out who to trust, but it turns out that even trusting the right person might not be enough when the enemy is so canny and manipulative. Some people are complaining about the suddenness with which a certain turnabout takes place, and yeah, there's a super cheesy line that could have been uttered with more conviction (if you're gonna try to pull off a horror one-liner then you should swing for the fences) but there's also an intuitive leap that is shown, not told, to the viewer. If you're paying attention you'll see how that happens.
Overall, this is a satisfying possession horror and worth a spot in your queue if you like the genre.