Terror 5 is an Argentinean horror anthology film depicting five different Argentinean urban legends, and in certain ways, the plotlines are somewhat tied together.
These urban legends included zombies, sketchy motels, snuff films, pedophiles, and the birth of a thirst to kill. There were many uncomfortable and sometimes horrifying situations all these characters were involved in. One involved a man being stranded on a bus full of zombies, another comprised of Peeping Tom’s and targeted violence, and witnessing a good kid’s surrender to bullying turning him into a murderous criminal.
Our first glimpse of this film introduces a delinquent branding Gene Simmons’ KISS face paint speeding on a moped towards a motel called “Terror 5.” His story later unfolds in a series of snuff films and the kickstarter of a murderous rampage. The next story deals with a news cast covering a story or stories about different men who are suspects in a terrorist attack. People are anxiously awaiting their verdicts to avenge their loved ones who died in this tragedy at their gravesites, which happened to be a bombing/shooting in the mall. There’s also talk of a male teacher being improper with a student. When the verdict though is out about the suspects and everyone was all acquitted, zombies rose from the graveyard and sought revenge.
Next, we’re introduced to a risqué couple having a rendezvous at the sketchy Terror 5 hotel. After hours of love-making, paranoia starts to set in that they were being watched and this plotline better followed along the one story with the Gene Simmons’ delinquent. He and a group of girls bullied their friends’ cousin Cherry the whole time on screen until he snapped. He claims to try to push Cherry to be more than himself, but he can’t control himself because he’s too crazy. The results of that unleash at the end along with the teacher, bus driver and zombies, and the couple in the motel.
I admire this approach, but from an American standpoint and watching English subtitles, technicalities were lost in translation. At points I was growing confused jumping from scene to scene of different people and feeling like I didn’t understand the backstory behind every situation and why certain scenes cut how they were. Though low in value in regards to production and some of the writing, I appreciate what the film offered. I just think they could’ve worked in the storylines a little more cohesively and that’d make it more enjoyable to follow and watch.
