Venus – TIFF 2022
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September 8 to September 18, 2022
A woman on the run from gangsters encounters cosmic horrors in an apartment block in Venus. Lucía (Ester Expósito) is a nightclub dancer who steals a bag full of drugs from her mafia employers. Lucía heads to the Venus apartment complex, where she hides out with her estranged sister Rocío (Ángela Cremonte) and niece Alba (Inés Fernández). However, the gangsters on her tail turn out to be the least of Lucía’s worries as the elderly residents of The Venus plan on summoning an ancient being.
Venus is a collaboration between several Spanish horror powerhouses, including director Jaume Balagueró ([REC]), producer Álex de la Iglesia (Witching & Bitching), and writer Fernando Navarro (Verónica). The film starts more like a crime thriller, as the protagonist, Lucía, makes off with a bag of drugs with the help of her turncoat boyfriend. However, Lucía soon finds something strange at The Venus apartment complex, as a coven of witches plans a cosmic ritual.
When things truly get going in the third act, Venus is an immensely satisfying and gory cosmic horror film, including a very tense moment of self-surgery. However, the film takes its time getting to the climax, with the crime thriller aspects of the story being an unnecessary distraction to the plot. Given all the talent behind the camera, I would almost expect Venus to be more special than it turns out to be.
