Aftershock (2012)

Elevator Pitch: A trio of young men, Gringo, Ariel and Pollo cruise the raves in Valparaiso and get together with three young women, Monica, Irina and Kylie. It is all fun until there is a massive earthquake and the club they are in falls to pieces. Ariel loses a hand trying to rescue a barmaid and dies when the funicular railway (The Reina Victoria) fails with him in it. The five survivors try for safety by Gringo is struck down by a piece of masonry but not killed.  An armed gang come across him and set fire to him but not before they have located two of the young women. One is raped, but the rapist is killed by Pollo. The group continue to be gradually picked off, but can any of them survive?

Content: There is a rape and a suggestion that another has occurred, but little nudity, although I’m sure I saw a woman having her breasts painted in a nightclub. During the first half hour a lot of rave scenes with dancing, drinking and sexily clad young women. Once the earthquake starts many people are crushed by falling masonry and skewered by pointy objects. The group escape into the streets but after Gringo is trapped by  stonework two of the girls are captured by the street gang with unpleasant results. There is violence, Pollo kills a rapist with a fire axe. A tsunami is threatened.

A View: There are a few things about this film you would need to know. It is presented partly in English and partly in Spanish, hence the name Pollo is pronounced “poyo”. It was also edited and trimmed so as to achieve an “R” rating, and it shows. The first 30 minutes is gratuitous, but the post earthquake violence could hardly go on for more than an hour. If you have read this review and still want to see it then best of luck.

More from Eli Roth: “Knock Knock”, “Piranha 3D”