The latest Shudder original film is an exciting new horror anthology, Satanic Hispanics. After a police raid discovers a house filled with dead Latinos, they take in the lone survivor for questioning. The man calls himself “El Viajero”, and he acts as a narrator, giving the cops a glimpse of a world they can’t possibly understand. Broken up into chapters, the film consists of five different tales of terror. Satanic Hispanics is the first all-Latino anthology with filmmakers from places like Argentina, Mexico, and Cuba, giving each of the stories their own unique cultural spin.

Satanic Hispanics offers a little something for everyone thanks to the many talented writers and directors. The directors include Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead, Nightmare Cinema), Mike Mendez (The Gravedancers, Tales of Halloween), Gigi Saul Guerrero (Culture Shock, V/H/S/85), Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project, V/H/S/2), and Demián Rugna (Terrified, When Evil Lurks). Among the writers are Pete Barnstrom (For Sale by Superhero) with Alejandro Mendez and Lino K Villa making their film debut. With so many different writers and directors from different backgrounds, the segments throughout Satanic Hispanics are all quite unique. These segments include terrifying otherworldly beings, a hilarious half-witted vampire, indigenous magic, and demonic entities both funny and sinister. With how varied the different stories are, it almost guarantees each audience member will enjoy at least one segment, even if others don’t land as well. Regardless of personal taste, it’s undeniable that Satanic Hispanics is one of the most even horror anthologies, even with the vast differences in style, tone, and subgenre.

With so many different segments, Satanic Hispanics has a vast array of great performances. While there are too many to list them all, there are a handful of standouts. Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite, Crank: High Voltage) stars as “El Viajero.” Ramirez has quite a commanding presence in this role, giving an air of mystery to his character while recounting unbelievable stories to the cops. Gabriela Ruíz (New Order) delivers an outstanding performance as Madre Tierra, a powerful Nahuales woman. Despite being a seemingly frail older woman, Ruíz come across as imposing and regal. Another clear standout is Demián Salomón (When Evil Lurks, Punto rojo) as a man named Gustavo who uses his puzzle-solving skills to unlock a doorway that should remain closed. Salomón’s portrayal of Gustavo mingles feelings of curiosity and terror in a haunting, compelling way. These actors are just a fraction of the performers in Satanic Hispanics and each segment is filled with talent that makes the film that much more fun to watch.

The visuals in Satanic Hispanics is a highlight of the film. Each segment looks quite different from the others. Some are dark and moody, while others are brightly colored and fun. The different filming styles work well with the different subgenres for each segment. This also extends to the effects. Relying almost entirely on practical effects in every story told, Satanic Hispanics boasts a number of grotesque, beautiful, and horrifying practical effects to create all manner of monsters and their victims. The craftsmanship is fantastic and adds to the various unique stories being told.

Satanic Hispanics is a wild rollercoaster ride of horrifying tales delivering scares, laughs, and everything in between. Each filmmaker creates a story that speaks to their heritage and individual filmmaking style. It’s clear Satanic Hispanics was a passion project for the writers, directors, and the rest of the cast and crew. What they achieved is a delightful anthology that is sure to become a frequent rewatch for horror fans everywhere.

OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10