Morgue Review: Death Is Slow To Come And With Immersion Breaking Effects

Release date: May 11, 2021 (Physical Release)
Running time: 81 minutes
Starring: Pablo Martínez, María del Mar Fernández, Willi Villalba, Abel Martínez, Dr. Aldo Von Knobloch, Raúl Rotela, and Francisco Ayala.
Written and Directed By: Hugo Cardozo 

After a harrowing accident, a down-on-his-luck security guard accepts a promising new gig at the local morgue in the terrifying supernatural thriller Morgue.  But his luck quickly changes back when he gets locked in and eerie occurrences (and a not-quite-lifeless body) leave him to wonder: how much otherworldly rage does it take to wake the dead?  

Morgue was a huge break out hit in Paraguay, which led to its release in America.  The film has a lower budget feel which isn't necessarily bad.  It looks more like an indie film than a big budget movie, but has a fun opening sequence.  The movie also has good build up until the first scare as you get to know the security guard and his new job location.  And Morgue has some very good set pieces and interesting lighting as the bodies come alive around you.  And the movie has good imagery to keep the viewer on edge as more and more strange occurrences happen in this dark locale.  

However, Morgue has an indie feel with all the good and bad that comes from it.  The movie has budget effects that just do not look that realistic.  I am not sure whether this is a result of the film itself being more of a budget movie or just the style of filmmaking, but it was distracting.  The movie loses some of the scare factor and immersion by having effects that break your suspension of disbelief.  And the movie feels slow at times, which is not a good sign for an 81 minute film.  Parts of the film feel like not a lot is happening and are noticeably drag down the progression.  This makes a film that should be a tight scare experience feel like a much longer ordeal.   And Morgue also bills itself as based on true events, but this is a very loose based on.  And the story itself just was not that interesting to me.  I did not get that invested in the characters, which again hurt my overall immersion. 

Morgue's good build up and imagery are killed by an overall slow pace and special effects that break your sense of immersion.   

Pass on it.

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Morgue is available on Blu-ray and digitally on May 11, 2021. 

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