There are films where a villain is defined in the first ten minutes, but in the case of Presagio, an Argentine psychological horror film released in 2015, the villain takes different forms while demoralizing the main character: it could be his tragedy, his psychiatrist, his stalker, his job, or even himself.

Camilo (Javier Solis) is a young writer tormented by his past— the tragic death of his wife and son in a car accident— and he believes he was warned about this event through a strange dream he’s been trying to decipher even though his reasoning doesn’t allow him to move beyond the idea of an omen. Because of this, Camilo suffers from anxiety and writer’s block to finish his next novel. However, there is something else forcing him to continue his work: a mysterious man hiding under an umbrella. In a mixture of rural dreams and his conversations with his psychiatrist, Camilo will begin to fall into an abyss where fiction blurs with reality and the only way to find out the truth will be by feeding the desire of the strange figure which will not stop harassing him until Camilo or his novel are finished.

From the beginning, Presagio, (stylized as “PRESA610”) seems to be a little bit on the nose for the viewer. Expectations can be high while telling a story of torment and grief like the one Camilo is going through. However, during its first act it presents several paths that can lead to a possible conclusion, but all this changes when the second act is presented with new clues and more ideas that circulate through Camilo’s mind. By the time it hits the last act, everything changes again, leaving a surprising and culminating conclusion.

The glue that joins all the acts seems to keep the product alive due to the variety of its elements, and this is the great advantage the screenwriter has found to develop the plot. But it can also be a turning point for the viewer to walk away, interpreting it as confusion instead of a mystery to be solved.

In addition to the laborious script, which is quite methodical if you get to analyze the symbols used to present Camilo’s therapy sessions and dreams, the production value of Presagio is very good. The sets are very austere, but the way in which it uses all its elements gives it a certain weight so that it doesn’t look like a low-budget production. In addition, the direction is very well taken care avoid giving away details that will be revealed at a later time, and the cinematography also changes according to the main character’s mood and the moments that he’s living or remembering as he narrates them.

Presagio, spanish word for “omen”, wants the viewer to keep guessing who or what is pushing Camilo to the edge of madness or a cliff. As the hunter plays a game with the main character, it’ll also give the audience a chance to play with the outcome of the plot by figuring which clues stay relevant and which will turn out to be obsolete.

8 OUT OF 10 NOTEPADS