By Becca Johnson - November 22, 2024
Jay Bustamante, known for helming poignant and thought-provoking dramas including La Llorona (2019) and Ixcanul (2015) returns with his newest feature, a horror thriller centering on a true story of the death of 41 young girls in a Guatemalan orphanage. The film follows 13-year-old Rita, who runs away from her abusive father to the big city. She finds solace with a kind lady who takes her in and gives her a job, until she’s placed in a safe house run by the state. Rita and her cellmates plot an escape that ends in a shocking act of violence.
Telling a harrowing and heart-breaking story in a way that combines intriguing fantastical elements with raw emotion, Rita takes a while to find its footing and has some lacklustre dialogue, but sheds light on an important topic with confident filmmaking.
One of the most important things film can do is shed light on real life events that general audiences may not know about. Bustamante has done this with Rita, bringing to the forefront a horrific true story about the mistreatment and eventual death of a group of 14-17 year olds in a Guatemalan orphanage. Although avoiding becoming too graphic with its portrayals of what the teens were put through, Bustamante doesn’t shy away from telling the girls stories in their entirety. From their frequent mistreatment and abuse to the fire that caused them to lose their lives, we experience everything these girls endured alongside them, making for a frequently tough watch.
It’s important to note that the horror on display here is much more focussed on the experiences of the young girls, rather than the type that Shudder releases usually give. With this in mind, it’ll be intriguing to see what the platforms users make of Rita. It does have some spooky imagery here and there, with some ghostly characters making the odd appearance, but Rita is by and large a thriller more than anything else.
The fantastical elements that Bustamante employs to tell this story are excellent. Not only do they add a slight amount of levity by making the traumas the girls face seem otherworldly, but they allow for some mesmerising visuals to pull through. The girls in the orphanage have the most beautiful wings and are often referred to as fairies, whilst other girls that have suffered a similar fate return in a puff of black smoke as ghostly beings. It’s a beautiful way to tell this story that gives it a unique edge.
There are other filmmaking techniques that elevate Rita further, including the 2.75:1 aspect ratio that somehow makes this story appear more intimate and poignant. The wide lens gives us full scope of the condition the girls are kept in, and the smaller the spaces become, the more claustrophobic the cinematography causes us to feel. The cast deliver excellent performances, particularly Giuliana Santa Cruz in the titular role of Rita. It’s great to see such a diverse cast, with many of the young ladies giving incredibly naturalistic performances. Visually and technically stunning, Rita showcases another win for Bustamante.
The story being told is incredibly poignant and important, and is mostly told well. Combining moments of hope with moments of intensity particularly well, Rita has a palatable balance whilst getting its point across and getting the reaction this story deserves. It’s paced well, with a story that successfully develops its characters and takes time to explore the bond between the girls, which becomes the heart and soul of the movie. Things conclude with a shocking, heart-breaking ending that leaves the audience plenty to chew on with a strong final message on humanity and justice.
Where Rita falters story-wise is around the beginning, as we’re thrust into an unknown world that is hard to navigate at first. The pieces aren’t all quite there until we’re a good way in, making it hard to initially connect with the story and characters. There is also plenty of dialogue filtered throughout that is quite sub-par, taking away from the overall impact slightly.
Rita might not be what most viewers would expect from a new Shudder release, but is certainly worth a watch due to its unique storytelling, excellent visuals and exploration into an important event that we should all know more about. It takes a while to find its footing but once it gets there, Rita has a lot to offer, with Bustamante yet again delivering a thought-provoking piece of work based on a true story.
Rita is streaming now on Shudder
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