Review: Grave Robbers (1989)

(aka Ladrones de Tumbas)
Directed by: Rubén Galindo Jr.
Starring: Fernando Almada, Edna Bolkan, Ernesto Laguardia
Written by: Rubén Galindo Jr., Carlos Valdemar
Music by: Jon Michael Bischof, René Castillo, Ricardo Galindo, Hnos. Warner
Country: Mexico
Available on: Blu-ray (Vinegar Syndrome)
IMDb

In Cemetery of Terror (1985), Rubén Galindo Jr. was channeling Lucio Fulci; here, he’s more aligned with Spanish director Amando de Ossorio. Galindo once again goes with a simple story: a handful of grave robbers unknowingly revive a satanic executioner who’s out to impregnate a virgin to birth the antichrist. This has a definite slasher bent, with nods to all the major franchises, in particular Friday the 13th — though his killer’s origin and look are more reminiscent of the Blind Dead films, tinged with the hulking, zombie-like Jason Voorhees from The New Blood. With Grave Robbers, Galindo returns to making movies for the Mexican market, setting aside the weird voyage into faux Americana with Don’t Panic. Though perhaps less atmospheric than his earlier films, this one is easily his most successful on a storytelling level. Galindo manages to infuse some life into his characters this go-round, particularly the grave-robbing hero Manolo, who’s surprisingly likable for someone stealing shit from exhumed corpses; the Uzi-carrying local police captain; and his daughter’s love interest, who resembles a ‘roided Freddy Mercury. Although the screenplay has some problems balancing its rather large cast of characters (for instance, a group of young women going camping are introduced very early and then not seen again for like 45 minutes), the events are briskly paced and mostly interesting. Galindo has a charming fascination with old-school visual tricks like cobwebs, colored spotlights, and fire — I love the way the graves, whenever opened, spout flames for no other reason than it looks cool and is kind of spooky. Though Grave Robbers isn’t overly gory, a gag in a prison cell is very gruesomely effective and the killer doesn’t shy away from embedding his mystical axe in some skulls. This flick isn’t as enamoring as Cemetery of Terror or as bonkers as Don’t Panic, but it’s plenty amusing and looks great while delivering just enough of what you’re after with this sort of thing.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10