A MOTHER’S EMBRACE (2024)

3 stars

Blue Finch Film Releasing. Digital. 10th November

A MOTHER’S EMBRACE is a mostly successful Lovecraftian tinged horror from Brazil (original title: Abraço de Mãe).

The film opens in Rio de Janeiro in the summer of 1973. Young Ana is busy drawing when her mother suggests they go to the local amusement park. Before they go, she insists the little girl has a drink of milk – that tastes funny. Whilst there they enter a creepy looking ride that seems like going inside a body – through a large gaping mouth… Ana understandably wants to go home. Back at their flat she barely escapes when a large fire breaks out.

Cut to the summer of 1996 – an incoming rainstorm could be the worst Rio de Janiero has seen in a quarter of a century. Ana, all grown up, is now a firefighter – following an incident she has only just been allowed back into the field. She still carries her childhood trauma.

Whilst out on a straightforward incident, they get a call about a nursing home collapsing in Sãi Cristóvão, which is the neighbourhood where Ana grew up and near the fun fair from her youth – one Park João Carpinteiro (park John Carpenter). The storm is starting to rumble in and they may well have to move the old folks out – as there are cracks in the walls, the roof is leaking and windows are broken. It’s all a bit sketchy!

As Ana and her fellow firefighters search the decaying building everything is in darkness, the residents seem spaced out and they meet with resistance when they suggest they need to evacuate the inhabitants. Then the crew start to disappear and Ana sees something slither across the floor…

This is well directed by Cristian Ponce and Marjorie Estiano is excellent in the lead role. It is well shot by Franco Cerana and Leandro Paglioro, with characters piercing through the inky blackness and using light and shadow to great effect. The location works well and tension builds as Ana tries to work out just what is happening in this big old house. The issue here is it feels protracted and the script by Gabriela Capello, André Periera and star Ponce fails to deliver on the gradual unfolding mystery, and the promising start.

Steve Kirkham