When Evil Lurks UHD Second Sight

Director: Demian Rugna
Screenplay: Demian Rugna
Starring: Ezequiel Rodriguez, Demian Salomon, Silvina Sabater, Luis Ziembrowski, Marcelo Michinaux, Emilio Vodanovich, Virginia Garofalo, Paula Rubinsztein, Lucrecua Niron Talazac, Isabel Quinteros, Desiree Salgueiro, Federico Liss, Richardo Velazquez
Year: 2023
Duration: 100 mins
Country: Argentina
Language: Spanish
BBFC Certification: 18

When Evil Lurks is a 2023 Argentinian horror film directed by Demián Rugna (Terrified), following a small rural community as it struggles to contain a disturbing possession epidemic.

The film had a limited theatrical run on release but has since found a strong following on Shudder. I’d heard rumblings about its disturbing content and seen it pop up on several “Best Horror of the Year” lists, so I was intrigued going in. For full disclosure, I’m generally not a fan of body horror or extreme gore unless it’s played with tongue in cheek, so I approached this one with some trepidation. What I found, however, was something far more unexpected. Yes, there’s plenty of squelchy, nasty stuff throughout, but it’s all part of the grim and convincing world Rugna builds.

In this world, demonic possession is a known threat. At the start of the film, our two leads—Pedro and Jimi (Ezequiel Rodríguez and Demián Salomón) discover what’s known as a “rotten”: a person possessed by a demon, their body bloated and infected like a cocoon waiting for the entity to fully emerge. The only way to stop it is to call in a “cleaner,” but the local one has already been found severed in two in a nearby wood. The brothers attempt to alert the authorities, but in the eyes of the state, their community isn’t worth the effort.

From here, Pedro races between increasingly dire situations, trying to gather his loved ones and flee the area, even as the possession spreads from person to person, and even to animals. The infection moves fast, and the rules of this world—don’t use electric light, don’t take anything from the possessed—are brutal and specific.

There are scenes here that are genuinely shocking—one involving a child will likely be talked about for years—but none of it feels gratuitous. The horror is rooted in emotional reality. The performances are excellent across the board, with Rodríguez in particular grounding the film as a man who’s flawed, reactive, and often powerless. He doesn’t know more than the audience and never feels like a “hero,” which makes his journey all the more affecting.

The film also looks stunning. Much of it is shot using natural light and candles due to the in-world rule against electricity, which gives the 4K UHD presentation a real edge—shadows fall heavy and inky, and details in the darkness are beautifully preserved. It’s a grim, atmospheric film, and this transfer brings that out superbly.

There are clear parallels to real-world events like COVID; however, in the extras and commentary, we learn that Rugna is specifically commenting on how the Argentinian government treats its rural communities. The state’s use of pesticides—linked to increased birth defects and certain cancers—directly informed the film’s themes of contamination and neglect.

When Evil Lurks is a brutal, bold horror film that mixes visceral terror with real-world resonance. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s a powerful one—and Second Sight’s presentation ensures it gets the treatment it deserves.

When Evil Lurks is out now on Dual Limited Edition and Standard Editions 4K/UHD and Blu-ray, courtesy of Second Sight.

I can’t comment on the quality of the essays included as I only received the disc, but from other Second Sight editions that I own, I am pretty confident that this will be a definitive release of the film.

Where to watch When Evil Lurks