Review of Hierro (2009) by Gareth M — 15 Jul 2010

Pretty standard text book horror. This combines lots of other movies like Dark Water, Flightplan/Lady Vanishes and its related film the Orphanage, although it doesnt have the depth, quality or the level of suspense that those films do.

It also resembles a storyline, that will be too close to home for the McCann family not least it being in the same part of the world. Without giving anything away, which the film is quite good at, Mother 1 has a car accident, wakes up to find kid has ran off, Mother 2 meanwhile is off on her jollies with her little laddy, before falling asleep, waking up, to find her kid has ran away too.

Everything is very creepy, dark and desperate, and some things are hard to fathom. The Ferry is empty, why is this? The island is hell on earth, and is completely deserted, why go on holiday there. The sister isn't sympathetic towards her, the locals dont like her, and the police are lack lustre also. Basically therefore she goes on a mission herself to find lost kid, this too despite her phobia of water, general scziophriena, and her ability to pass out at key moments.

Because the subject matter is generally bleak, and distubing, the setting and the fact that the world is against her, make it a very depressing uncomfortable film to watch. Perhaps maybe even more so towards the end of the film, where it gets even more extreme.