The Weeping Woman, or La Llorona, is a haunting figure in Latin American folklore that has terrified generations. The ghost of a woman who once drowned her children and spends her afterlife stuck in purgatory, forever weeping for her lost sons. La Llorona kidnaps wandering children that she finds and drowns them, and if you hear her cries then misfortune or death awaits. Hers is a nightmarish bedtime tale to keep children in line. La Llorona is so prominent in folklore that it’s surprising it’s taken this long to make it to the big screen. While it’s refreshing to see her finally make her appearance in a major release, it’s also hindered by the familiarity of the Conjuring universe to which she’s tethered.

After a brief opening sequence set in 1673 Mexico, that shows our titular villainess in the act of murdering her children, the narrative jumps ahead 300 years to Los Angeles, where social worker Anna Tate-Garcia (Linda Cardellini) is called to the home of Patricia Alvarez (Patricia Valesquez). Alvarez has locked her children in a closet, and their malnutrition means they’re whisked to the hospital while mom is arrested. Of course, Patricia was only trying to hide her kids from the clutches of La Llorona, who finds and kills the children anyway. The weeping woman then sets her sights on Anna’s children; their nightmare is only beginning.

Director Michael Chaves makes his feature debut with La Llorona, and effortlessly stakes a claim in his corner of this ever-expanding fright focused universe. Saturated in blacks, neutrals, and shadows, La Llorona maintains an ominous atmosphere of mourning and chills. A lot of time is spent getting to know the Tate-Garcia family, too, to ensure we’re invested in their terrifying battle with the angry spirit. Anna is a widow, struggling to raise her kids after the loss of her husband. Cardellini’s protective mama bear persona goes far in engendering audience sympathy. Raymond Cruz is also a highlight as the curandero that seeks to help the family; his knowledge of La Llorona brings needed exposition that’s matched by his sense of humor.

But this is a Conjuring universe film through and through, which means there’s a familiarity to the scares and formula. It also means a tenuous and not so necessary connection between the films. Remember Father Perez (Tony Amendola) from Annabelle? If you don’t, that’s ok. This film works hard to remind you, flashing Annabelle on screen as if Perez’s explanation about a case involving an evil doll wasn’t a tip-off. It makes even less of an impact considering Perez only pops in long enough to push Anna along her path toward someone else who might help. The Annabelle connection also explains why this film is set in Los Angeles in ’73, when La Llorona would be better suited in a location far more south.

The production values are great and the scares are aplenty; La Llorona is effectively creepy. But, both she and the heritage from which she came should’ve been the focal point. Save for the barebones backstory that explains her presence, there’s not a lot of depth to her or her background despite centuries of rich folkloric history. The most interesting characters- Patricia, curandero Rafael, and La Llorona herself- are kept at arm’s length in favor of focusing on a family we feel for because they’re under supernatural attack.

The Curse of La Llorona excels at being an intimate, spooky haunted house tale. With a slightly different aesthetic, it still feels right at home in the Conjuring universe. For those completely unfamiliar with La Llorona, Chaves delivers a basic crash course that gives a tease of just how scary the tales of her have been over generations. It’s enough to sincerely hope for a sequel, if only so that La Llorona can truly get the spotlight she deserves.

Review originally appeared out of the SXSW Film Festival on March 16, 2019.