Poyju would prefer to still live as a medicine man-hermit in the rain forest, “mediating” between the spirit realm and our own world. However, a demon killed his beloved wife and stole the talisman that guarded Helena’s faith. As her belief waned, the demon grew stronger. The secular society attracted the teenager like a magnet, so the old man moved with her. However, he still practiced his severe brand of spiritualism, which was misunderstood in the capitol. Ultimately, he was committed to the mental hospital, while his son-in-law, Warren, files his appeal and serves as a buffer for the increasingly freaked out Helena.
Of course, we know she hasn’t seen anything yet. Unfortunately, old Poyju is right about everything. That means his daughter is in grave danger. He needs a lot of spiritual help to save her, but his cronies in the asylum mostly just provide comedic relief.
Weirdly, the inmates are staging a play based on Poyju’s demonic battles, but Forte wisely avoids meta gamesmanship, using it instead as a macabre and absurdist backdrop. Frankly, descriptions positioning Legions as a comedy somewhat overstate matters, but it certainly has an off-kilter sensibility that helps set it apart.
Do not panic, Forte also delivers plenty of gory practical effects, keeping everything properly folky and seriously sinister. Argentina is somewhat under-recognized as a major horror film exporter, but Legions maintains the standards set by forerunners such as Luciferina and Darkness by Day. Easily recommended for fans of demonic and folk horror, Legions is now available on VOD.
