What the Waters Left Behind (2017)


REVIEWER RATING: 
8/10

DIRECTOR:

CAST:


In November of 1985, the village of Epecuen in Argentina was drowned out by a rising lake after a dam broke. The town was flooded as waters rose to 33 feet, forcing all the residents out progressively. The damaged area became abandoned, thus inciting interest by traveling tourists to explore this new ghost town.

“What the Waters Left Behind” is a solid eerie film about a documentary crew who travel into Epecuen to relive that fateful account through the eyes of one of their peers, Carla (Maurette). Her description of the dark waters which poured in from a destroyed dam is harrowing and heartbreaking as she explains escaping with some family members before the disaster escalated, leaving behind everything.

While part of the crew stays close to Carla as she treads lightly through a local cemetery amongst the ruins, a few others stay behind with the broken down van (why wouldn’t their van breakdown, right?) and resort to having animalistic sex. Again, why wouldn’t they have animalistic sex to ease the monotony of an intentionally broken down van? Right?

All the while, there is something seedy lurking behind every corner and soon the entire group is fighting for their lives against backwoods mutant psychos, a la “U-Turn” style.

There are frequent glimpses of undertones pulled from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hostel and even The Devil’s Rejects which hold no complaints here. All those influences are justified in cascading this creepy little thriller into our upchuck reflex. Alas, there is no hesitation from the onslaught massacre.

“What the Waters Left Behind” has a minor period of slow cranking scenes into the full premise of the film, but once there…you are in for a gory jaunt. Hacking, mutilation, rape and plot twists all fall in to place while captivating the audience into cancelling any potential trips to the outskirts of Argentina.

Peru, anyone?

OVERALL: 
Similar to Chernobyl, a village taken down by natural disaster always peaks in the interest of storytellers and onlookers…everyone wants to become a part of history. However, when history turns alarmingly disturbing, watch your back. And your front. And all your limbs. Hell, just avoid the area and watch it on television…it’s still just as much fun!


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