The Curse of La Llorona: 3 wildest teaser moments

The first look at The Curse of La Llorona shows that although James Wan may not have directed it, the film certainly brings the scares.

It’s no secret that Warner Bros. Pictures is playing up the connection to James Wan, one of the biggest names in the horror genre right now, for The Curse of La Llorona. Granted, he only produced the film, but considering that he handed The Conjuring 3 over to La Llorona‘s director, Michael Chaves, expectations were high for La Llorona.

And in its first trailer, released today, it’s clear that Chaves has a bit of Wan’s style to his work in this movie.

Yes, that means that it’s got a sense of tension to it and a couple of wild moments that may have you jumping in your seat. Check the trailer out below:

Wasn’t that lovely? Here’s what scared us most:

The details of La Llorona

Listen closely when La Llorona first appears weeping in an alleyway. The neck crack or a bent neck is a pretty common sound and appearance for a ghost (used to great effect in The Haunting of Hill House, for example), but what makes this crack so scary is that we hear it more than we see its effects. You have to imagine what it’s doing to this ghost rather than actually seeing it, and sometimes, what you think up is more terrifying than any special effects could produce.

Who needs windows open?

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that it takes two tries to get in before La Llorona shows up outside the station wagon. The rule of three is still used in storytelling all the time, building up a viewer’s anticipation before providing the gut punch of horror and the satisfaction of a correct prediction.

Also, creaking windows are a standard too, used to a different effect here by being in an appropriate-to-the-period station wagon (the film, according to the teaser’s description, is set in 1973).

“To some.”

Again, the myth or legend that mysteriously turns out to be more true than the protagonist imagines at the start is effective for a reason. We know this story pattern. But there’s something quietly scary about the fact that it’s a priest saying it — even though it’s a priest whom we later see carrying out what are probably some non-sanctioned practices. (The YouTube description calls it “mysticism.”)

But all that being said, this is an effective teaser for something that promises to bring the fear while we wait for the next IT, The Conjuring 3, and more of our horror favorites.

The Curse of La Llorona drops April 19, 2019.