Rosario

When it comes to watching a horror movie, one of the strongest emotions a viewer might experience is disbelief. This isn’t necessarily about the supernatural events or the plot itself, but rather the disbelief that a character would willingly walk down a dark hallway after hearing a terrifying noise. Most of us would simply glance down that corridor, say “nope,” and find the quickest way out. But of course, that wouldn’t make for a good horror movie. So, cheers to the characters who walk toward the scares—because they give us movies like Rosario.

As a child, Rosario (Emeraude Toubia) was brought to America by her parents, who wanted to give her a better life than they had in their home country. As she grows up, she becomes successful, but after her mother dies, she loses touch with that side of her family, including her grandmother. Now going by Rose, she’s living in New York when a massive blizzard approaches the city. She starts receiving phone calls from her grandmother, which she ignores—until one final call comes, not from her grandmother, but from the building’s superintendent. He informs her that her grandmother has passed away.

Despite the oncoming storm, Rosario rushes to her grandmother’s apartment to be with her body until the ambulance arrives—though delays leave her waiting longer than expected. While there, she uncovers her grandmother’s spiritual beliefs and begins to suspect that a curse has been placed on her. When she starts seeing terrifying visions, she attempts to break the curse, only to realize her grandmother wasn’t cursing her—she was protecting her. Now that protection is gone, and something dark is coming for Rosario as she tries to survive the night.

Written by Alan Trezza, Rosario is a haunting story set in a world that feels both familiar and fully lived-in. The narrative is compelling and creepy, avoiding unnecessary complications while delivering a sleek, thrilling film. Much of what makes Rosario so effective is its atmosphere. Director Felipe Vargas skillfully uses lighting, camera angles, and space to creep us out in every scene. Add in some fantastic creature designs, and you have a horror film that genre fans are bound to appreciate.

Like many great horror films, Rosario has more on its mind than just scares. It explores generational conflict and the tension that can come with turning your back on your culture. Toubia is strong in the lead role, and José Zúñiga is a nice presence as her father. David Dastmalchian also adds a touch of dark humor as the neighbor who just wants his air fryer back. Vargas and Trezza trust their audience, leaning into psychological horror—which, for me, is the scariest kind. Fortunately, there’s no heavy-handed messaging here, but the film’s themes may linger long after the credits roll.

Rosario isn’t perfect, but it’s effective and tightly paced. Its few flaws are easy to overlook because the film delivers a solid, chilling experience.