[Film Review] Celluloid Screams Film Festival: The Elderly (2022)

A surprising and effective horror on the peril of ignoring your elders.

When Mario's (Gustavo Salmeron) mother jumps from a window unexpectedly, the loss results in more than just grief. In addition to the unanswered questions sparked by her sudden death, husband Manuel (Zorion Eguileor) is suffering from what is assumed to be early dementia. His presence in the house soon causes tension with Mario's new wife Lena (Irene Anula) and teenager Naia (Paula Gallego) appears to be the only one attempting to understand and perhaps more importantly, respect him.

The intense situation the generations find themselves in is furthered by a constantly escalating heatwave. Directors Raul Cerezo and Fernando Gonzalez Gomez truly reflect that sweltering heat in their photography - everything feels weighted down. Further underlining their point are title cards throughout featuring the temperatures rising to ever more dangerous heights. Radio and television broadcasts warn of the danger to life in the heat, advising that the elderly, in particular, should be monitored carefully. 

Despite the cohesion the heat wave brings to the film it is hard to escape that there are issues in terms of the way it divides acts. Many early scenes are dedicated to the family drama element and although the bigger picture is seeded well, the last act which considerably picks up the pace, violence and volume still feels like a departure. I'm inclined to come down on the side of this being a strength rather than a weakness but mileage will vary. 

At the heart of The Elderly is a social critique. Pensioners are often side-lined, infantilised or directly viewed as a burden, ignoring any insight they may have. As Manuel, Zorion Eguileor excellently finds a place of stoicism for the character - he is frequently a closed book, never quite offering complete insight into his experience. This makes those moments where that stoic mask slips genuinely arresting, whether he is being an aggressor or having aggression directed towards him. While the rest of the cast are good, it is Paula Gallego as Naia who warrants further mention. The film decides against making her a flighty, sullen teenager, instead presenting her as someone attempting to bridge the gap between her family. Gallego's performance works well for this, especially considering that the role's nature doesn't easily allow her to slip into cliche.

The Elderly succeeds where many films struggle and that is in the ability to provide a development that is genuinely surprising (aided by that more frantic final act) but that also immediately draws all the film's threads together. Although this is not a big budget production it achieves a sense of scale that is essential for the film. Some jump scares feel unearned, especially earlier on with the tendency to dial up the soundtrack when the film's quieter, creepier moments arguably sell it far more effectively.

Co-directors Gomez and Cerezo clearly have a bright future in horror with The Elderly made around the same time as another, more comedic/action focused horror in The Passenger. Overall, it is the serious dramatic moments and lighter-touch moments of dread that really work for this.

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