REVIEW: ‘Phenomena’ blends horror and comedy together

Inspired by true events and set in Madrid 1998, Phenomena is a supernatural activity film. The Spanish horror-comedy film, Phenomena (Fenómenas), is written by Marta Buchaca and Fernando Navarro and directed by Carlos Therón. Packed with a host of well-known Spanish faces, its main cast includes Toni Acosta, Gracia Olayo, and Belén Rueda. After Father Pilón, a priest and paranormal investigator, gets attacked and left hospitalized, three friends and fellow investigators, Sagrario, Gloria, and Paz, make it their mission to unearth what happened to him.

Was some otherworldly presence responsible, or was it merely just a stroke? Due to the nature of the show, it seems pretty evident what the outcome will be. But it still makes for a fun journey within the film, regardless. The filmmaker’s knowledge that the audience knows what they’re about to expect helps keep the film fun. In a nice touch, Phenomena forces those watching to question who brings the most hurt, is it those that are dead or alive?

Some horror-comedies fail to blend the two genres together successfully, often becoming too cheesy and more of a joke to watch while losing the horror of it all. Whilst others focus more on the horror with here-and-there jokes that don’t quite land. In the case of Phenomena, thankfully, it’s a different outcome. The film smoothly switches from a humorous scene to a scare heavy and/or emotional one quite naturally. This kind of transition not only keeps the audience on their toes but keeps Phenomena fresh. And as viewers, you’re unsure whether a scene is going to have a horror or comedic element to it. 

Also, the cast members are all decent in their roles, with the three female investigators being the stand-out of the film. Not only does it make the film seem more believable having an older cast – as a younger cast with little supernatural experience would have taken away the suspense – but seeing a more experienced cast lead the film is lovely. Belén Rueda’s role as Sagrario is especially impressive in her as an investigator mourning her husband. She brings emotion to the film, and the jokes/scares land better due to the inclusion of her character. 

Although it’s just over an hour and a half in length, Phenomena would have benefitted from moving along faster. As it nears the thirty-minute mark, Phenomena slows down quite significantly. Resulting in an overly long scene involving the friends attempting to locate the entity that may have attacked Father Pilón. It’s quite frustrating as a viewer as it spends far too much time on a character not convinced of an entity’s presence. During this time, it’s easy for audiences to find their minds wandering away from the film. And since this occurs in the first third of Phenomena, when audiences may not be fully invested in the film just yet, they may switch off completely. 

But, hopefully, viewers will continue with the film. And if they do, a much darker film develops as a result. The darker tone not only makes Phenomena more exciting but fits with the ultimate conclusion, making the film an overall satisfying watch. Due to the final moments on screen, it’s likely that the filmmakers have more stories up their sleeves. Could we see some twist in a second movie? Meaning there was more to what the three friends encounter in this movie? Or will it simply see them explore a new mystery? Only time will tell.

It may not be as fondly remembered as some other modern Spanish films on Netflix, but Phenomena does the job of entertaining the viewer. With horror elements and a light-hearting tone that turns darker the further the film progresses.

Phenomena is now streaming on Netflix.