I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

El Páramo is a tension-filled horror-thriller from Colombian director Jaime Osorio Marquez.It tells the story of a squad of soldiers, who have been sent to investigate a remote, fog-stricken, mountain outpost, believed to have been overrun by guerillas.Though, once they arrive...there is no one to be found. Only what looks to be the aftermath of a massacre.Eventually, they discover a female guerilla holed up behind a wall that is scrawled with spells, and covered with magical charms, meant to ward off the devil.The squad members can't agree on whether she is a witch; or whether she is responsible for whatever atrocity occurred here...but one thing is certain...it has struck a wedge between them.Whatever you think occurs, it has the effect of revealing the men for who they truly are. It separates the good from the evil; the strong minded from the weak willed; and the survivors from the dead.This is exacerbated when the most sadistic f*ck in the unit is killed, after being alone with the woman (whom he planned on torturing and/or raping). If she was able to kill an entire unit, and the man who made them all cower in fear- they feel she must be more than just your average guerilla.Now that she's on the lamb, pure fear sets in. And what follows is an expert psychological breakdown of the military mindset.Is someone really out there, using magic to knock them off one-by-one...or is it all in their heads...with themselves being the only ones to blame? A couple clever twists, expertly placed, keeps you thinking about this; and, just when you think you've gotten it all figured out- forces you to question your assumptions.You really need to have patience- and engage in reflection- to fully appreciate this film. It is neither an action packed, nor gore based, horror...as some critics were clearly expecting. It plods along slowly, builds tension; and forces you to engage with the characters, by encouraging you to break each of them down them down psychologically.In the end, what made me enjoy this film so much, is how it acts as a scathing critique of the military mindset. Going into it, I fully expected this to be a pro-military propaganda piece, with a horror angle. But it's not. It's completely the opposite. Not only does it act to condemn the war (in Colombia), in general...but also encourages you to reflect on how dangerous it is to throw ordinary people (with all their psychological misgivings and limitations) into such situations. It's an atrocity waiting to happen.Slow build-up aside, I found this to be a relatively engrossing film.6 out of 10.

"The Squad"(El Paramo) is a Spanish film about a squad of soldiers who were deployed, lost, and trapped in uncharted territory where they find a creepy silent captive who refuses to cooperate. It's a dreadful film and is definitely atmospheric. It was a good scary movie. If you read any further you will reveal the whole plot of the movie, as I have included many spoilers in my review. So beware! **Contains Spoilers** they hide out at a compound thats old and rundown looking. They discover that anyone who was there is now mysteriously gone and there is blood splattered all over the walls. This movie was moving at an almost boring pace,that is, until one soldier discovers a hollow concrete wall with something behind it. The lieutenant orders his men to knock the wall down and what they find inside is truly terrifying. They find a filthy woman covered in dirt and wearing rags who has been bound at the hands. This woman does not talk, but yells loudly. There's something not right about her. She's very hard to look at, as he is terrifyingly creepy. As a viewer, I immediately knew she had bad motives. The soldiers question the woman about what had happened at that base. How did she get in the wall? What happened to the other men who were stationed there? Who is she? She still refuses to talk. Somehow, the woman escapes and that's when things get really sour and the men start to turn on each other. One of the soldiers finds a journal in the base that reveals a lot about what happened there, and it also reveals that the woman in the wall is actually a witch. While some of the men think she's an innocent old woman who needs help, others think she is a witch who has put a curse on the men and anyone who comes in contact with her will die. Ultimately, they decide that she needs to die and they set out through the fog to hunt her down. It does not go well. It is an overall good idea and a good movie but I wish the director did a little bit more with the supernatural idea and less with the "it's man's fault" idea

A special high mountain command (stars : Juan David Restrepo, Mateo Stevel, Andrés Castañeda, Daniela Catz, and Nelson Camayo, among others) of nine is sent to a military base in a desolate high-plains moor of Colombia , but all contact with the military base high in the desolate wastelands of Colombia has been lost . Contact was lost several days ago and was believed to be target of a guerrilla attack . Upon arrival, the only person found inside the base results to be a woman , as the men discover a shocking scene of carnage, and only one survivor , a peasant who is heavily chained . Gradually , the team is disturbingly hooked by isolation and the impossibility to escape , and creating them doubts about the true nature of that strange woman . They start to question the identity of their enemy, and the true nature of the strange , silent woman . Is she a terrorist ? A victim? Or something more sinister? Something supernatural… Paranoia takes root . Prisoners of fear and the terrible secret they share , and the events go wrong .This stirring as well as violent film has breathless , brutal scenes , a gut punch of an action film , it creates a nice amount of tension and fright . It begins when authorities – believing a military base to have fallen to a terrorist attack – send a nine-man squad to investigate ; as a special unit of combat taking on the challenges of dealing with pressure themselves , isolating , fright and fighting at an unnamed war . This is a thrilling picture with terror elements in which a squad is submitted to strange horrors and impossibility of escape that undermine the integrity and sanity of the soldiers, causing them to lose the certainties about the identify of the enemy . It's an interesting movie , from the beginning until the end the frightening and scary action is unstoppable . It's a thought-provoking and clever studio of an Elite Squad , about some experienced soldiers, and unflinching remark at the lack of communication , as a group inability to communicate with the outside world originating upsetting feelings , hatred and confrontation . The film turns out to be a crossover from various flicks , as it takes parts here and there of The Bunker by Rob Green , Deathwatch by Michael J. Basset , The Guard Post , among others . The flick has an eerie atmosphere , it is in gloomy color , enhanced by the mud of trenches and with lights and shades that originates a ghostly setting . Set design is alright , the movie is enough atmospheric , the dark sludge , the dirtiness and filthiness with the muddy trenches are very well designed .Jaime Osorio Marquez makes his acceptable writing and directing debut with this tale of an elite team of soldiers , though overusing the Steadicam . American remake rights to The Squad (El Paramo) have already been snatched up by a Hollywood producer. Colombia Reports says Scott Lastaiti (his previous credits include executive producing Turistas , Love in the Time of Cholera and Stan Helsing) saw the film, thought it was "chilling," and ultimately purchased the rights.

This film is estimated at $1,300,000 budget. Acting, camera, environment and direction are superb.This is a psychological triller edging to the horror genre. The tension the movie manages is not like all the other many Hollywood movies where it is mostly sound effects that make people to jump off their seats, with a boring story used many times. Hollywood please it time to change the genre a bit, this movie put Hollywood movies in shame considering the budget. Sound effects are well managed, lightning, location create the eerie atmosphere that makes it a good movie.Movie will be remade the new movie makes justice to this original version.