Inheriting a mansion only to find that it’s haunted now—there’s something that doesn’t happen every day. Surely Amelia is getting the deal of a lifetime, though I can’t imagine she’s planning on keeping the rotting corpse that her aunt keeps around. It seems that Selma can’t curb her appetite for the macabre even when having guests over. I wouldn’t say it does her any favors, but I can’t deny that it gives the mansion character. It has its appeal; it has a ghastliness about it that emanates from the screen as Amelia and her husband find that there’s more to the mansion than meets the eye. It’s quite a setting and an alluring one at that.

There are some details of note, namely a mirror that doesn’t cast a reflection and a flashback that sheds light on how the crying woman came to be. How’s that for a twofer? Well, if there’s one thing I can say, it’s there is no shortage of visual interest. In fact, the flashback sequence stands out due to being filmed in the negative. It’s as dreamlike as it is striking, which you will appreciate as long as La Llorona doesn’t keep you up at night. Thankfully, the chances of that happening are rather slim.

I must say, I like the idea of the curse being generational. It’s simple but on the other hand, there’s a degree of uncertainty as to whether Amelia can end the curse, especially since doesn’t have an interest in the occult. She’s very much the opposite of her aunt, which I think is worth pointing out because of the weight the curse carries and because of the fact that Selma is determined to resurrect the witch. In that regard, the third act couldn’t be more intense. It has its scenes of terror; it has its moments of suspense that are nothing short of effective. Sounds inviting, doesn’t it? Surely you will find that Selma’s mansion is a host to a variety of supernatural activity.

The Curse of the Crying Woman doesn’t have the tightest pacing, but even so, it’s an easy-to-follow ghost story that has its share of surprises. I can’t fault it for that, nor would I say that Rafael Baledón tries too hard. If anything, he’s given the legend some new life, and I think that really shows.