Prime Spanish horror director who rarely ventures outside his niche. Balagueró has been looking for his best form after he quit the [rec] franchise, but if you're up for some solid horror cinema, pretty much his entire oeuvre's a safe bet.
Movies
![[Rec] poster](/thumbs/img/posters/300xauto/rec.webp)
[Rec] is an extreme thrill that aptly uses modern techniques to its best advantage, creating a truly creepy and tense atmosphere where so many films before it have failed.
![[Rec] 2 poster](/thumbs/img/posters/300xauto/rec2.webp)
If you didn't like the first film, I can't see how you'll like this one. Stylistically the films are very much alike, though the directors made better use of the style this time around.
![[Rec] 4: Apocalypse poster](/thumbs/img/posters/300xauto/rec-4.webp)
I always assumed Rec 4 was going to be the last film in the series, but Balaguero didn't really wrap things up after all, leaving plenty of room for possible sequels to come.
Balagueró latest is a slightly hesitant return to the horror genre. There are a few too many crime elements and the drama is given a bit too much legroom, but once the film reveals its true face it becomes clear why Balagueró was once considered one of the biggest talents in the horror genre. The film builds up towards a lovely finale, only the way there is a little bumpy. The horror setup is cool, but the heist/robbery feels tacked on. I understand it's an attempt at misdirection, and I guess it works, but I'm just not won over by the concept. Other than that, this was another quality film by Balagueró, I just hope he'll be making an all-out, dedicated return to horror in the near future.Read all
Films to Keep You Awake: To Let
Balagueró's solid entry in the Films to Keep You Awake film series. It's not a real contender with his best work and two decades later the horror doesn't feel quite as sharp or novel anymore, but it's still a fast and entertaining film that should please horror fans who are looking for some core genre fun. The setup is simple but comes with a little twist. The setting is moody, the cinematography is fitting, and the performances are good. The villain is a bit too soft maybe, but the short runtime makes sure that the finale comes fast and there are some tense moments to keep you entertained in the run-up to it. Good, but not as great as I remembered it to be.Read all
Balagueró's attempt to make a US horror flick wasn't too bad, but it's not quite up there with his best work. I really liked the film back when I first watched it, but I've seen so many similar films since, and there's not quite enough here to make it stand out. Apart from the slick and moody direction that is. The setup is simple and takes too long, once the horror gets going Darkness improves and there are some tense and memorable moments scattered throughout. People who love a good haunted house flick won't be disappointed, personally, I need a bit more nowadays to call something a personal favorite.Read all
This is where it all started for Jaume Balaguero. The Nameless is also a template for many Spanish horror/thrillers appearing in subsequent years. It's a police procedural that takes the main characters through a nightmarish world, with some pretty graphic and disturbing sights along the way. The film is dark and eerie, the horror elements are relatively few but they are effective, and the performances are solid. It's a solid film, but I've seen one too many to be wowed by them, and there isn't much here that sets it apart from its peers. It's a good start to Balaguero's career, but far from his best work.Read all
A bit of a suprise, this film. Balagueró is a lauded horror director who has stuck with the genre since the very start of his career. But Way Down, despite the potential of its name, has nothing to do with horror. Instead, we get a modern heist flick, not unlike the first Mission:Impossible film. Way Down is pretty entertaining, but it's clear that Balagueró isn't too familiar with the genre yet. He sticks to what is known to work, but because of that it feels like a pretty basic, predictable film with just a few minor upgrades left and right. The cast is on point, the heist is fun, but there's not enough here that stands out. Decent entertainment.Read all
A story with literary roots that mixes fantasy, mystery and horror elements. It's a pretty conceptual genre film, so much in fact that Balagueró gets a little lost in the plot. It's an interesting story with enough potential to be great, but in the end the film lacks a little punch. Not one of Balagueró's best films, but still a worthy addition to his oeuvre.
