Jaime runs a failing radio program called “Hora de la Muerte” or “Hour of the Dead” in which the host claims that he can communicate with those already on the other side. His phone calls are relatively boring (hence the show’s lack of success) that is, until he receives a call from a terrified man trapped in a pitch-black hotel room where “Sixth Sense” type stuff starts happening. Jaime tries to help the caller, but what do you tell someone who just watched a kid blow his brains out all over the bathroom wall?
As the story progresses, so does the terror. The second act is filled with straight-up, no punches pulled horror. It’s great. Where the film doesn’t work is when the horror ends in the third act.
“Hora de la Muerte” might be seen as an attempt to launch a Mexican-based “Twilight Zone.” The trouble is, where “The Twilight Zone” held its greatest strengths—their endings—“Muerte” lacks cohesiveness and doesn’t pack the punch of the classic show. It’s more than giving the audience answers, which never really happens either, the film’s flaws comes from the script. Too much goes on for such a short film and the result is a disjointed third act which leaves too many questions open (in a bad way).
For example, when an insane looking creature (the make-up and effects here are beyond cool) starts chasing the terrorized man, it’s slightly disappointing to have the monster stopped simply by the locking of a door. The film moves on to deliver a message about spousal abuse, and then ends abruptly. No more mention of the monster responsible for the film’s scariest moments. No more mention of the kid shooting himself in the motel bathroom.
It would seem that “Muerte” could have used another five minutes of fleshing out to be a really impressive horror short.
