LEGIONS is an Argentinian Horror-Fantasy movie premiering at Fantasia 2022. It has slapstick gore and lots of heart but it runs too long. Read our full Legions movie review here!

LEGIONS is an Argentinian horror-fantasy movie premiering at Fantasia 2022. It combines slapstick humor with gore and some (bad) CGI. Not too much, but enough that you can’t help but notice. Also, it has a lot of heart but the story would play out better as a short film.

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This new Argentinian genre film starts out great though. We follow the old warlock Antonio Poyju who is now in an insane asylum. When he senses his estranged daughter is in danger he must escape to rescue her.

Continue reading our Legions movie review below.

Lots of heart but too long

While Legions delivers on entertainment via some slapstick gore it, unfortunately, has some bad CGI that is totally unnecessary. Practical effects would have served this movie much better. Again, it isn’t that CGI is used all that extensively, but it’s still too much.

Fortunately, the humor is spot on – especially with scenes from the insane asylum where there are plenty of funny characters.

Also, we switch back and forth between scenes from the past and present with a voice-over that really works. In so many ways, this movie has plenty going for it. The main downfall is that it runs too long and the story just cannot handle that. There simply isn’t enough to it.

Legions (2022) – Review | Argentinian Horror | Fantasia

Check out Legions when you get the chance

Fabian Forte is the writer and director of Legions and you can definitely see his love for this genre. Both the comedic elements and the horror vibe. Previously, Fabian Forte directed and co-wrote the 2016 movie Dead Man Tells His Own Tale (org. title El Muerto Cuenta su Historia).

That movie was also a horror, comedy, and fantasy genre hybrid movie, so he clearly knows how to make that kind of storytelling work.

While the movie is probably around 2½ stars we don’t do half stars here at Heaven of Horror. So I’ll round it up to 3 full stars because it has lots of heart and you can feel the love from the cast. Also, I appreciate both the traditional lore elements and the humor, which does a lot of good for the overall experience.

Legions is having its North American premiere at Fantasia 2022. It will be out on VOD on January 19, 2023.

Details

Director: Fabian Forte
Writer: Fabian Forte
Cast: German De Silva, Ezequiel Rodriguez, Lorena Vega

Plot

As demonic forces descend on Argentina, the world’s best hope is confined to an insane asylum, powerless to avert a dark resurrection. The once legendary warlock Antonio Poyju (Germán De Silva) is haunted by the mistakes of his past, and is now reduced to rebelling against orderlies in an institution.

When a malevolent demonic force reveals itself, Poyju must rally a ragtag ensemble of certifiable inmates to spring him from his confinement, so that he can reconcile with his estranged daughter Helena (Lorena Vega) and reunite their magical bloodline to stave off the evil. But the confines of modern life and an unnatural influence has stripped Helena of her belief and cheated the world of her magic. Will Poyju be able to remind his long-lost daughter of her cultural heritage and reignite the magic that has been smothered by corporate life?

I usually keep up-to-date with all the horror news, and make sure Heaven of Horror share the best and latest trailers for upcoming horror movies. I love all kinds of horror. My love affair started when I watched 'Poltergeist' alone around the age of 10. I slept like a baby that night and I haven't stopped watching horror movies since. The crazy slasher stuff isn't really for me, but hey, to each their own. I guess I just like to be scared and get jump scares, more than being disgusted and laughing at the grotesque. Also, Korean and Spanish horror movies made within the past 10-15 years are among my absolute favorites.
Nadja "HorrorDiva" Houmoller
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