The Elderly

The Elderly – Fantasia 2022

Fantasia 2022

July 14 to August 3, 2022

Film Info

Content Advisory: Abuse


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Paranormal events surround an elderly man with dementia in . The world of Manuel () falls apart after Rosa, his wife of fifty years suddenly commits suicide. Despite the objections of his wife Lena (), Manuel’s son Mario () decides to take in his father to live with them and Mario’s teenage daughter Naia (). However, Manuel begins to exhibit strange behaviour and violent fits, while Naia begins to have ghostly dreams of her grandmother.

The Elderly is a horror film written and directed by Raúl Cerezo and González Gómez, which uses the indignities of old age as the jumping off point for a supernatural horror film. Much of the plot surrounds the conflicting opinions of protagonist Mario, who wants to care for his father Manuel as home, and his second-wife Lena, who never got along with Manuel and would rather he be admitted into a nursing home. However, the truth about Manuel’s increasingly erratic behaviour ends up being quite horrifying.

The Elderly builds its dread over the course of the film, by showing a temperature gauge that is slowly rising to a literal boiling point. While The Elderly is great in parts, such as tackling the real-life horrors of elder abuse and its surprisingly Lovecraftian climax, the film also has an over-reliance on jump scares, rather than focusing on tension. Despite its flaws, The Elderly is still a supernatural horror film worth checking out.

Trailer for The Elderly – Fantasia 2022

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Sean Patrick Kelly

Sean Patrick Kelly is a Toronto-based freelance film critic and blogger with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinema and Media Studies from York University. Since founding his site in 2004, Sean has shared his passion for cinema through insightful reviews and commentary. His work has also been featured in prominent outlets, including Toronto Film Scene, HuffPost Canada, Screen Anarchy, ScreenRant, and Rue Morgue Magazine.

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