The Mexican horror drama HUESERA: THE BONE WOMAN is about being a mother. Or, it's about finding your way again after a major change in your life. In that way, it's a lot like Baby Ruby, which I thought was better in a lot of ways. But the stories are also very different in many ways, so it's not really fair to compare them side by side.
With a runtime of 93 minutes, this never drags on too long or takes too many unexpected turns. Instead, it shows how things we dream about aren't always what we really want or need. This may sound like a lot of fluff, but the "subtitle" of The Bone Woman is a very real example of this problem. And those scary images will keep coming back to you!
Keep reading our review of the movie Huesera below. The movie comes out in theatres on February 10 and on video-on-demand (VOD) on February 16, 2023.
A kind of fear that is very real and happening now
Huesera has some scenes that stick with you. And not just what it makes you think of, but also how it makes you feel. The sound of a baby crying or a young mother who feels like everything she does is wrong. And she thinks she might be going crazy as well.
Having terrible dreams or visions when you don't sleep or can't sleep is enough to drive anyone over the edge.
Yes, there are parts of Huesera: The Bone Woman that are very hard to watch. At these times, the horror is very clear. Whether it's a classic horror scene or a more psychological horror scene that some people would call drama. When you get to the bottom of things, isn't everything drama?
When the baby is involved, those are the worst times for me. Don't worry, I'll tell you right now the answer to "Does the dog die?!": The baby does not die. This movie is not like that. But it's clear that Valeria is afraid of hurting her baby because she feels like she has no control over her own life.
Strange dreams and visions
As a person watching Huesera: The Bone Woman, you might think, "This is obviously just a dream!" Valeria, our main character, doesn't know this, though. And sometimes, when she's awake, she sees things. When she sees terrible things that may or may not be real, she obviously starts to wonder if she is crazy.
For me, these times worked out really well. Most people know what it's like to not be believed when they are just telling the truth.
Then there's that cute little baby that Valeria just had. She loves her baby, but she desperately wants to get away from the life she is suddenly stuck in. A life in which she is no longer the most important person to anyone around her and in which everyone watches, questions, and criticises everything she does.
Natalia Solián does a great job playing Valeria in the Netflix miniseries Somos. This movie wouldn't have worked if she hadn't been able to give this character such a natural and believable sense of life. Mercedes Hernández, who plays her aunt Isabel, is also great. The only person who will always be there for Valeria, no matter what.
Huesera: The Bone Woman can be seen in theatres or on VOD.
Huesera: The Bone Woman is directed by Michelle Garza Cervera, who also wrote the screenplay with Abia Castillo. This is Michelle Garza Cervera's first full-length film as both a writer and a director, though she has worked on short films and TV shows in the past. At the Sitges, Torino, and Tribeca Film Festivals, Michelle Garza Cervera won awards for her film Huesera.
This is Abia Castillo's first credit on IMDb, but she and the person who gave her the credit are both working on a new movie that is in pre-production.
The whole cast does a great job, and even when you get frustrated with a character, you can take a deep breath and try to see things from their point of view. We watch Valeria (Natalia Solián), so it's clear that we like her. But when you watch the movie, you can also feel sorry for the baby's father (Alfonso Dosal).
Creating a story with characters who can all be related to in some way takes skill in both writing and directing. I'm sure the ending of Huesera will make people feel different things. But, hey, isn't that always the case when it doesn't just have a happy ending where everything is explained and turns out fine?
Huesera is sure to be a movie you both watch and feel. From the creepy direction to the eerie cinematography, where light and shadow are always fighting, to the very creepy sound design, which includes sounds of bones breaking, Huesera is a movie you will both see and feel. This is probably also why the movie won the Audience Award at the Morelia International Film Festival in Mexico.
Huesera: The Bone Woman opens in theatres on February 10 and on video-on-demand (VOD) on February 16, 2023.
Michelle Garza Cervera is the director.
Writers: Michelle Garza Cervera, Abia Castillo
Stars: Natalia Solián, Alfonso Dosal, Mayra Batalla, Mercedes Hernández, Aída López, Martha Claudia Moreno
Summary
Valeria is happy to be having her first child, but her happiness is short-lived because she is cursed by a bad spirit. As danger gets closer and her family relationships get worse, she is forced deeper into a scary world of dark magic that threatens to eat her up. A group of witches shows up, and they might be her only chance for safety and salvation, but they also pose a lot of danger.
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