La Perdicion (2021) Film Review – Island of Horror

Posted on by Jim Cox

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La Perdicion is a 2021 Spanish extreme horror film written and directed by Domiziano Christopharo. The film is loosely based on American serial killer Robert Hansen, known in the media as the “Butcher Baker”, who abducted, raped, and murdered at least 17 women between 1971 and 1983 before being apprehended by police

After losing interest in his current lover, Mark meets another man, Robert, at a restaurant. After hitting it off and returning to Robert’s yacht, he realises that something isn’t quite right with his new partner.

Rather than focusing on a continuous killing spree, La Perdicion focuses on a single murder, shifting the perspective from the killer to the victim–adding an element often missing from serial killer narratives. Switching the framing to depict the experience through the eyes of the doomed protagonist rather than the murderer certainly adds a distinct urgency from others in the genre, who use victims as a voyeuristic thrill rather than a creation of tension.  

Furthermore, the split story of the struggling relationship between Mark and his lover Javier, and the introspective lamenting of the antagonist deliver an eerie contrast, delivering an engaging narrative before the inevitable descent into brutality. However, this lingering story doesn’t diminish the film’s horror elements. Instead, the eventual introduction to the protagonist’s nightmare situation is all the more jarring with its introduction–especially the depiction of sexual violence. 

Maintaining a relatively standard aesthetic for the most part, La Perdicion employs effective establishing shots and framing of scenes that invoke a looming sense of dread throughout. Even so, one standout scene that diverts from this visual style is a hellish nightmare experienced by the killer. The use of a black background creates a seemingly empty void on which a flurry of close-up angles vibrating with intensity as a barrage of self-mutilation washes over the audience.

Unlike many films in the extreme cinema genre which rely on excessive levels of blood and gore when implementing effects, La Perdicion takes a more minimalist approach in this department. While this approach is counter to most of Domiziano’s films, this restraint doesn’t diminish the vast impact of the film’s vicious level of savagery displayed. Scenes of abuse, self-mutilation, murder, and even cannibalism are still presented with undeniable veracity–just portrayed with a more realistic presentation. 

Containing a minimal cast of only three characters, the performances in La Perdición are decent throughout. While the early interactions feel slightly stiff at times, as the narrative progresses, the victim’s portrayal of fear and suffering is portrayed in an unnervingly realistic manner.

Relying significantly on classical music, the minimalistic score employed in La Perdición integrates seamlessly into the scenes rather than functioning as a traditional accompaniment. This selection enhances the film’s surreal, almost operatic sense of foreboding, reinforcing the bleak horror at its essence.

A notable display of Domiziano’s signature blend of horror and eroticism, La Perdicion is certainly not for the faint of heart. With its fresh perspective on the original case of Robert Hansen, barbaric display of violence, and fluctuation of visual styles, the unmistakable diversion from the norms of true crime, presents a refreshing entry to the genre that still maintains a forbidding sense of nihilism.

La Perdicion (2021) is available to purchase from Unusual Horror’s website here.

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