KM 31

Director Rigoberto Castaneda’s affection for Japanese horror flicks pulses through his feature debut. With a naked young boy straight out of Ju-on and ethereal yet vengeful long-haired women, KM 31 runs the risk of being another J-Horror rip-off-write-off.

But, an intriguing story, making liberal use of the La Llorana (The Weeping Woman) legend, keeps this off the road to Derivativille.

Iliana Fox impresses in the dual role of the twin sisters, who, as Catalina, recruits her boyfriend (Mendez) and Agata’s friend (Collado) to investigate why there is so much blood on the tarmac. Deciding it is not due to unclear road-signs, they reveal an ancient wrong during Spain’s conquest of Mexico.

Castaneda is more comfortable creating an unsettling atmosphere than handling plot mechanics, and the story threatens to unravel along with the mystery on numerous occasions.

Fortunately, his style carries the film over the various p(l)otholes, ably assisted by DP Alejandro Martinez’s dank, Seven like cinematography, to a satisfying underworld monster mash in the Mexican sewers.

Although a road-trip through horror cinema, from Ring to Stir of Echoes to The Devil’s Backbone and The Shining, solid performances and a well-manifested sense of the supernatural makes KM 31 a journey worth taking.

Rob Daniel