Tigers Are Not Afraid

 

Name: Tigers Are Not Afraid

Directed By: Issa López

Subgenre: Foreign, Fantasy, Thriller

Series: Spooktober 2020 entry #20; review #82

Review: Let me start by saying that I love this movie. It's a multi-layered modern day ghost story / fairy tale fusion that's as uncompromising as it is creative. I absolutely want to gush about this movie, but doing so would rob each of you of a more pure, first-time experience with the film. Stop what you're doing and go watch it, then come back here, finish the review, and then leave me a comment. So, while my reviews tend already be fairly succinct, this review will be even shorter than usual. Hey, we've all got those days. But seriously, go watch it and then tell me how wrong (or right) I am. Tigers Are Not Afraid is a Mexican film about a young girl, who happens to be gifted with three wishes, as she joins with a group of kids who have all made orphans by the local cartel. Given the mix of dark whimsy and even bleaker reality, the Guillermo Del Toro influence is pretty clear: and it is just as brutally effective. Tigers Are Not Afraid is a tough, profoundly sad watch, and I cannot recommend it enough. Be warned, though: it breaks a taboo that many horror flicks shy away from (it's no "Serbian Film," don't worry). Go watch it! So, you might be wondering why I didn't give it a perfect score. That's a good question, and one that I've been contemplating on for going on a full year now (since the original review was posted on Facebook); frankly, I still don't have a great reason. I know that I lump a lot of things into the "Thriller" subgenre here on LSC, but I do wish the film would have leaned a bit more on the supernatural elements. I'm absolutely biased in that belief since my day-job has desensitized me to a lot of "mundane" horror. But, then again, going that route may tip over the delicate balance López has set between the whimsical fantasy tropes, the ghost story elements, and the gritty reality beneath them. Does Tigers Are Not Afraid have the same sort of staying power as the original The Thing remake? I don't know--but I don't know if it needs to since they're very different films with very different intentions behind them. Will I watch Tigers Are Not Afraid every year or showcase it as a staple of the horror genre? Probably not, but that's because of how deeply the film impacted me. I suppose that lasting impression is what counts in the end. What do you think? Let me know!

So maybe this review wasn't that short after all. Whoops.

Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5 Chads who forgot how to be princes. Did Tigers Are Not Afraid scare you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

IMDB: Here

How to Watch: Tigers Are Not Afraid is available on these platforms.

Official Trailer