El Gigante (2014)

We screened this film at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego where it won two awards: Best SFX in a Short Film and Best Director of a Short Film – Gigi Saul Guerrero. We were surprised by this short as it did not fall into what we were expecting out of Mexican Horror based on an interview we did with another filmmaker. The film style has a very graphic sense of realism to it making the viewer almost FEEL what is going on in the movie. The fact that it borrows from the Luchadore (masked Mexican wrestling) is a strong cultural element to the film, but it has a strong violence element, not to mention a story idea that borrows from Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as Motel Hell. We interviewed the film's director, Gigi Saul Guerrero which revealed a great deal as to why the short film had the tone that it did. We would recommend this film for those that have strong stomachs.

El Gigante was a short film shown before "Cannibal Holocaust" as part of Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival and this without a doubt, by far, is my favorite horror short film I've ever had the honor to see.For being a short film El Gigante manages to give you enough of a story to build up for the events that happen. We see a man, seemingly attempting to cross the border when he meets another man who tosses him what appears to be water only for the liquid to then knock him unconscious. He then awakens inside a wrestling ring with a mask sown onto his face and neck only to realize that he is about to have to fight for his life against a giant luchadore while his family of cannibal psychos watch.From here on we witness one of El Gigante's strongest suits which is the make up and effects. For a budget of around $8,000 this short film has better looking make up and blood then most big budget films. The blood looks the right tone of blood and thick enough while the makeup and masks done are just phenomenal. Even the smaller things like seeing the mask sown onto the guys neck is just amazing.The cinematography though in this film truly puts it into big budget films. From being able to catch the perfect action moment with the right lighting to knowing the best angle or location to shoot shows that directors Luke Bramley and Gigi Saul Guerrero have a long future ahead of them.El Gigante is a film that everyone should watch, go into it with little knowledge and I promise it'll have to talking about it with everyone that listens. El Gigante is the perfect short film, one I hope to see expanded one day, and one that everyone should watch. No questions asked.Score :10/10Press Pass Provided By Wizard World & Film Viewed As Part Of Bruce Campbell's Horror Film Festival http://apocalypticdemise.com/2015/09/07/el-gigante-review/

I watched El Gigante at Crypticon Seattle a couple weeks back. I felt like I'd been pile-driven and laid out for the pin. It was fast paced, brutal, and elicited the same dread and mania as House of 1000 Corpses and Texas Chainsaw. Luchagore Productions is a small (but fierce!) studio out of Canada that I expect great things from. El Gigante is definitely worth a watch and keep an eye on these film makers. Otherwise, you may find yourself drop kicked and made into asada before you see them coming. They hope to turn this into a full feature, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. Gigante delivers a solid chop to the chest, and leaves you wanting more.