I had been planning on watching Tigers Are Not Afraid since it was added to Shudder a few years ago but different things kept getting in my way of watching it. I had heard only good things about the movie during its initial release in theaters and then I heard the same things once it was added to Shudder. After finally seeing the movie, I fully understand why there was so much praise when talking about it.
Issa López wrote and directed Tigers Are Not Afraid and hot damn is she a master of the artform. One of the reasons I wanted to make sure watch the movie is because López was announced to be one of the people behind the next season of True Detective and I’m now even more excited for it than I was before. If she’s writing episodes as well as directing, I can only hope that she’s able to bring what made Tigers Are Not Afraid so enthralling. The way she weaved the story into a dark fairy tale grounded in reality hit me like a gut punch in certain moments.
That’s helped along by the performances by the mostly young cast. Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, Rodrigo Cortés, Hanssel Casillas, and Nery Arredondo are the heart of the movie. All of the young cast just draw you in and make you care about them. Ianis Guerrero and Tenoch Huerta are the closest to proper antagonists that are in the movie. They both serve as such equally though the story takes it in interesting directions. Huerta’s presence is felt throughout the movie making him feel almost like a celebrity rather than an antagonist.
The effects are amazing. The way that they’re used are just outstanding. I felt myself getting drawn in by the subtle use of effects. The set and costume design are top notch. It just adds so much to the movie and the atmosphere in it. The music by Vince Pope is fantastic and adds the right stuff to the movie.
Tigers Are Not Afraid is an amazing Spanish language movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat while getting you in the gut at regular intervals. Another reason I wanted to finally see Tigers Are Not Afraid is because Tenoch Huerta is playing Namor in the next Marvel movie. I was not let down by any aspect of this movie. This deserves to be rediscovered periodically and have praise heaped upon it anew. I give Tigers Are Not Afraid 10 tiger plushies out of 10.