As you can probably guess by the trailer, this is a horror comedy from Spain. The film was created by cult director Alex de la Iglesia, who is also famous for his film The Last Circus (which I have not seen, but I’ve heard great things). The story centers around Jose (Hugo Silva), who has just pulled off a jewelry store heist with a group of men dressed as various street performers (and his gun wielding 10 year old son). The surviving members of this band of misfits hijack a taxi and head for France to escape the police. Little do they know that on the way they will pass through a small village known for being the birthplace of witchcraft. On top of that, the witches are about to have a giant annual party and need a human sacrifice for the occasion. Luckily for the witches, Jose’s son, Sergio (Gabriel Angel Delgado), is perfect for the part.

If I had to pick one word to describe this movie, it would be “insanity.” I absolutely love horror comedies (when they are done well), and this one did not disappoint. It was exciting, suspenseful, creepy, and truly hilarious. The situations these men get themselves into over and over again keep you laughing from start to finish, without being too hokey.

The witches are so well played (some are even played by men), and they do a great job with the makeup by giving them all the same kind of eerie look. While the witches themselves make for some great laughs, the most hilarious thing about them is how they shun one of their own for acting what we could consider “normal.” There are also some amazing practical effects that are subtlety done, but they really blew my mind at the same time.

The one common theme in this film is that all of the men have been spurned by women, and all of the women use men and find them disposable. If this was the kind of movie that was meant to be more scary/serious, I would find this theme to be dull and slightly offensive. Luckily, it’s a comedy. Everything is supposed to be an extreme caricature of the truth, and without the men vs. women mentality, I don’t think the story would have been as entertaining.

Please watch this movie. It is fun and gives you the chance to brag about being into “foreign films.” The only thing that I know can deter some viewers from enjoying it is the fact that the film has subtitles. It was done in Spain, so of course it is going to have subtitles! Get over it. It’s better than horribly dubbed movies where the voices do not match the actors (that only works in old kung-fu movies). Having to read at top speeds is totally worth it.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10