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Reviews: Here Comes the Devil (2012) Movie Review / Ending Explained / FAQs

Here Comes the Devil (2012) Poster
Genres: Horror, Thriller, Demons
Subgenres: Creatures, Mystery, Possession, Thriller, Dangerous Exploration, Satanic, Sci-Fi, Tourists

Where does Here Comes the Devil (2012) stand among horror films? Our review examines the scares, pacing, and what makes it unique in the genre.

Here Comes the Devil (2012) – A Slow-Burn Descent into Supernatural Darkness and Parental Dread

Here Comes the Devil (2012) delivers an unsettling blend of psychological horror and supernatural dread, wrapped in a distinctly atmospheric tone. Rooted in the folklore of possession and unexplained disappearances, this Mexican horror film explores how a traumatic incident rips through the fabric of an ordinary family’s life—leaving behind only silence, fear, and something not quite human.

When the Hills Whisper Secrets, the Shadows Come for What You Love Most

Directed by Adrián García Bogliano, the story follows a married couple whose two children vanish during a day trip near a haunted hilltop. After the children are found the next day seemingly unharmed, the parents sense something is wrong. What begins as quiet concern quickly spirals into nightmarish suspicion as strange behavior, violent outbursts, and unspoken terror begin to unravel their home.

Plot, Themes, and Psychological Exploration

The narrative hinges on loss, guilt, and fear of the unknown. It’s not just a supernatural story—it’s a breakdown of the parental psyche. As the mother suspects that whatever returned from the hill is not truly her children, her anxiety grows into paranoia, uncovering dark truths buried beneath the family’s fragile routine.

Themes of trauma, possession, and spiritual corruption are at the film’s core. The children’s behavior shifts from eerily quiet to emotionally detached, and then deeply disturbing. As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly unclear whether the threat is real, psychological, or a fusion of both.

The parents—especially the mother—serve as the emotional anchor. Her instincts that something sinister has followed them back are dismissed as overreaction, yet the tension between maternal intuition and supernatural horror drives the film’s slow, unsettling momentum.

Atmosphere, Visual Tone, and Cinematic Style

The film thrives on mood rather than gore. Cinematography is intentionally off-kilter, with long, brooding shots of barren hillsides, dimly lit rooms, and tension-heavy silence. The color palette is muted and drained, adding to the creeping sense of doom. Sound design plays a crucial role—ambient noise, distant screams, and sudden silence make the viewer feel like an unseen force is always watching.

There’s an ever-present sense of dread, fueled by the film’s ambiguity. Is it possession? Is it trauma? Is it grief-induced delusion? That lingering uncertainty becomes its own form of horror. The pacing is slow, but it deliberately builds unease, echoing the structure of folklore—one where evil doesn’t rush but waits patiently.

Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Adrián García Bogliano crafts a story that walks a delicate line between arthouse horror and genre thriller. His direction leans heavily on suggestion, discomfort, and emotional breakdown rather than traditional jump scares or visual terror.

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Final Verdict & Score: 6/10

Here Comes the Devil earns a 6 out of 10, driven by its chilling atmosphere, psychological undercurrent, and slow descent into supernatural fear. While it doesn’t rely on shock value, it effectively distills parental terror and spiritual dread into a minimalist horror experience. The film stands out for its cultural roots and deeply unsettling ambiguity, making it a worthy addition for fans of cerebral horror with mythological undertones.

Who Will Enjoy It

Who Might Be Disappointed

Most Searched FAQs About Here Comes the Devil (2012)

What is the hill in Here Comes the Devil and why is it important?
The hill near Tijuana where the children disappear is a central symbol in the film. Locals whisper that it’s cursed—connected to dark, ancient forces. It serves as the doorway between this world and something unholy, suggesting that entities lurking there can possess those who cross its threshold. It’s less a place and more a spiritual rupture where evil bleeds into reality.

Did the children die on the hill?
Yes. The story implies the children perished shortly after they went missing. What returns to the parents the next day are not truly their children, but possessed forms or soulless copies—vehicles for something demonic. Their strange, emotionless behavior and later violent acts support this theory.

Why does the mother believe something is wrong with her kids?
She notices a lack of empathy, cold stares, and unusual behavior that intensifies over time. Her maternal instincts clash with denial and fear, driving her paranoia. Her suspicions grow especially after an incident involving the babysitter and strange occurrences that hint the children are no longer human.

What happened to the babysitter?
The babysitter, who had a disturbing encounter with the children, ends up dead. Though not shown explicitly, it’s heavily implied that the children—or what possessed them—were responsible. This incident marks the point where the parents can no longer dismiss their fears as imagination.

Why do the parents go back to the hill?
Desperate to understand what happened and possibly reverse it, the parents return to the hill in search of answers. They seek closure, but instead encounter more terror and evidence that something evil resides there. The father’s descent into obsession and the mother’s breakdown both escalate at this point.

Is this a possession movie or a metaphor for trauma?
The film blends both. While possession is the literal horror on screen, the story explores how loss, denial, and grief twist perception. The ambiguity allows it to be interpreted as a supernatural tale or a metaphor for the emotional disintegration caused by tragedy.

What do the visions and flashbacks mean?
These sequences offer glimpses into what may have happened on the hill—rituals, evil presences, or out-of-body experiences. They’re intentionally vague, reflecting how the truth is clouded by both supernatural interference and psychological collapse. It enhances the film’s unsettling ambiguity.

Who—or what—is possessing the children?
The exact identity is never confirmed, but the presence is portrayed as ancient and evil. It could be a demonic entity or an impersonal force tied to the location. The film doesn’t name the evil, which makes it more unsettling—focusing on its influence rather than its origin.

Is the ending supernatural or psychological?
The film leans into the supernatural, especially in the final moments. However, the psychological unraveling of the characters makes everything feel grounded in real fear. This duality is intentional, forcing viewers to question the nature of evil—whether it’s something that enters from outside, or something awakened from within.

Here Comes the Devil (2012) – Ending Explained

In the film’s chilling conclusion, the parents come to realize the horrifying truth—that their children were never truly returned to them. What they raised after that fateful day were possessed forms, puppets of something dark and malevolent.

Overwhelmed by this revelation and desperate to stop the evil from spreading, the parents make a grim decision. Believing that death is the only escape, they kill their children and then take their own lives, hoping to sever the connection once and for all.

However, in the final scene, two figures—identical in appearance to the children—are shown descending from the hill. The implication is clear: the evil has not been stopped. It merely used the tragedy to continue moving, suggesting it cannot be destroyed, only passed on.

This bleak ending solidifies the film’s central message: some horrors are not meant to be understood or defeated. They only need an opening—and they never leave the same way they came.

Similar films like Here Comes the Devil can be found in demon movies sub-genre(s), check them out for more movies like Here Comes the Devil.

Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.

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