Venus

Balagueró latest is a slightly hesitant return to the horror genre. There are a few too many crime elements and the drama is given a bit too much legroom, but once the film reveals its true face it becomes clear why Balagueró was once considered one of the biggest talents in the horror genre.

Lucia is a dancer in a discotheque. One night she robs the place and flees with a bag of pills. She's badly hurt and she turns to her sister Rocío for help. Rocío lives in a rundown apartment building with her daughter. She wants to move away from the place, but when Lucia arrives on her doorstep, Rocío decides to help her out.

The film builds up towards a lovely finale, only the way there is a little bumpy. The horror setup is cool, but the heist/robbery feels tacked on. I understand it's an attempt at misdirection, and I guess it works, but I'm just not won over by the concept. Other than that, this was another quality film by Balagueró, I just hope he'll be making an all-out, dedicated return to horror in the near future.