Aftershock Review: Eli Roth Shakes Up your Expectations

You see some bloody images of Aftershock. You hear that the story comes from Eli Roth and that it follows a bunch of young American tourists trying to survive in a Third World country. You think “Hostel!”. Well, think again. The new independent film is actually a hybrid of Roth’s passion for shocking mayhem, and director Nicolás López gusto for politically incorrect comedies.

‘Gringo’ (Roth) is something of a 40 years old virgin that tries to find meaningful connections while partying in Chile with two local friends, ‘Ariel’ (Ariel Levy) and ‘Pollo’ (Nicolás Martínez). Things start to look great for the trio when three beautiful girls (portrayed by Lorenza Izzo, Andrea Ósvart and Natasha Yarovenko) join them in their trip to the beach city of Valparaiso.

This first part -close to one third of the movie- resembles more a “R” rated comedy a la “The Hangover” than a horror film. It is very funny and contagious to the point that we start thinking about booking a flight. The South American country looks colorful, vibrant and inviting. The apparently “mandatory” scene with an old bus full of chickens -seen in most Hollywood representations of the region- has been replaced by the globalized reality of people glued to their iPhones.

A couple of tense moments among the characters remind us that we shouldn’t get too cozy in this fun, that the party has to stop. And boy if it does! The brutal first sequence of destruction transports the viewer inside of what could have been one of the night clubs that tragically succumbed to the real 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit this land in 2010.

Among the chaos and the suffering, a few of over-the-top shots filled with dark humor serve as a transition between the comedic first part and the tense thrill ride that is just starting. But against expectations, Roth and company are less interested in the potential gore of the circumstances and more in the exploration of the human nature.

Like in a post-apocalyptical world, fear and violent instincts suddenly take over civilized conventions. A gang of terrifying prisoners embody this primitive force. But instead of having a simplified bad guys vs. good guys scenario, everybody becomes a potential hero or villain. Characters are forced to make unthinkable decisions, inviting us to think “What would we do?”.

I can’t tell you more because there are a few interesting turns in the final act. What I can do is to recommend you this fast-paced and entertaining mix of a road-trip comedy, disaster movie, revenge/survival thriller with touches of a slasher film. Grab some friends and have a bloody good time. Don’t be a “hueón”!

Aftershock is out today May 10th in theaters, iTunes and OnDemand.

Watch our exclusive interviews with Roth, López, Izzo and Ósvart!