Terrified

Terrified, a 2018 Argentine horror film directed by Demián Rugna, presents an intriguing blend of psychological terror and mystery, delving into the world of inexplicable events that take place in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. The film revolves around a police commissioner, Funes, and his peculiar collaboration with a trio of researchers, each with their own unique expertise, to uncover the root causes behind these unexplained occurrences. As the investigation unfolds, the researchers, known as the 'Encuentros Paranormales,' begin to share their findings with Funes, detailing the experiences of multiple residents who have come forward with harrowing accounts of supernatural events. These events range from eerie, unexplained noises to inexplicable apparitions and unsettling occurrences that defy rational explanation. Funes, a man with a rational outlook on life, initially treats the researchers' claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. However, as more disturbing events unfold, including the gruesome discovery of animal hides that appear to have been skinned alive, the boundaries between reality and the paranormal begin to blur. Ruth, a researcher with a troubled past, is at the center of the investigation. Her experiences and theories serve as a catalyst for the others to delve deeper into the mysterious events plaguing the suburbs. Ruth's troubled history also hints at a deep-seated trauma or personal connection to the supernatural events. Throughout the film, Funes finds himself entangled in a web of unexplained occurrences and is increasingly drawn into the world of Ruth and the Encuentros Paranormales. The trio embarks on a quest to uncover the source behind the eerie events, their search leading them farther into the depths of the suburbs and into ever greater horrors. As Funes, Ruth, and the other researchers delve deeper into the mystery, their theories and rational explanations begin to break down, and they're forced to confront the possibility that there may be more to these events than previously thought. This descent into the unknown is punctuated by a series of unrelenting and terrifying events that leave the investigators shaken and questioning their own perceptions of reality. Throughout the film, Rugna masterfully crafts an atmosphere of creeping dread and unease, as if the walls between the real world and the realm of the unknown are gradually disolving. The tension builds to a devastating climax that redefines both the investigators and the viewer's understanding of these inexplicable events. The movie skillfully subverts expectations, veering away from the typical tropes of the horror genre, and offering an unsettling experience that's as disturbing as it is unsettling. Ultimately, Terrified, like its central mystery, leaves the viewer questioning what is real and what is not, raising the question of whether it's the world around them or their perceptions of it that are truly terrified. Terrified is more than just a horror film; it's an exercise in psychological unease, blurring the lines between reality and the realm of the unknown. By the time the credits roll, the viewer is left to ponder the unsettling implications of the inexplicable events that unfolded before their eyes, the film having masterfully captured their attention and refusing to let it go.