My city recently passed rules banning roadside memorials. I was not in favor of this rule. The city council argued that they are litter and add to the pollution problem. They want their streets clean. I feel that the little shrines are necessary. They remind us all that someone thought they were just going on a simple drive to the grocery or get lunch at the drive thru window and never made it past that point. You can’t take any trip for granted because it might be the last time you’re behind the wheel. On The 3rd Day is a horror film from Argentina that is about a fateful night when a mother and her boy were just driving home.
Cecilia Amato (Mariana Anghileri) and her young son Martin (Octavio Belmonte) are cruising down the road at night. Just a normal drive until Cecilia becomes distracted and plows straight into a truck. Three days later, Cecilia finds herself alone in a building. She has no idea what has happened or where Martin has gone. She’s taken to a hospital where her ex-husband claims she is hiding the child from her. The police are investigating. Inspector Ventura (Osvaldo Santoro) believes she’s involved in another person vanishing that evening. Dr. Hernán (Lautaro Delgado) wants to help his patient, but she flees the hospital. She wants to find Martin. Her only hope is visiting a hypnotist who wants to get her to remember those lost three days. In the midst of the trance, she discovers the truck she hit was carrying dangerous cargo.
On The 3rd Day has the vibes and texture of a ’70s foreign horror film. The film slowly unravels the mystery and horror that is at its core. The tension is kept tight as she searches for her kid. The hypnosis element brings her into the past in an astral projection so it’s not just a series of flashbacks. You’re seeing Cecilia react to the revelations. What happened to her during those three days pays off with a shocking mother and child reunion. On The 3rd Day is a masterful chiller about how a distracted moment on the road can lead to a dramatic change. Don’t watch this movie while driving.
Video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The 1080p image brings out the creepy quality. The audio is English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and a 2.0 mix. Both tracks are in English. Not sure about the situation of the Spanish language track. Listening along to the dub track adds to the ’70s throwback quality of the film. The movie is subtitled in English.
Trailer (2:17) sets up the hypnosis scene.
Scream Factory presents On The 3rd Day. Directed by Daniel de la Vega. Screenplay by Alberto Fasce & Gonzalo Ventura. Starring Federico Aimetta, Mariana Anghileri, Octavio Belmonte, Susana Beltrán, Arturo Bonín, Sergio Boris, Diego Cremonesi & Lautaro Delgado. Rating: Unrated. Running Time: 85 minutes. Release Date: March 29, 2022.
