After successfully defeating the Nahuala, Leo San Juan (Prado) and his friends are sent to Xochimilco to stop the Llorona. The Llorona is stealing children from the town, including Beto (Canete), while he is trick or treating with his sister Kika (Del Carmen). Leo is joined by his friends Don Andres (Couturier) the knight, colorful dragon Alebrije (Inclan), vain ghost Teodora (Cordeiro), and sugar skulls Moribunda and Finado. As they approach the town by balloon, Leo is thrown out by a storm. He falls into the boat of Kika, who is trying to find her brother.
Kika takes Leo back to her house so her mother, Rosa (Zuniga), can nurse him back to health. Rosa tells Leo that the Llorna was a woman from the town, Yoltzin (Hernandez) who lost her children. She refused to accept their deaths and now steals the children from the town to replace her children. Leo is given the journal of Padre Tello (Humberto Solorzano), the priest who went missing while trying to stop the Llorona.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group crashes into the nearby forest. They are on the island of puppets, and are condemned by Pecas (Jesus Guzman), the puppet that is in control. With his friends in danger and Kika taken by La Llorna, can Leo save the day?
The film is in Spanish, but I watched it with English subtitles. The story is based on the Mexican legend of La Llorona and features other important symbols from Mexico, like sugar skulls and alebrijes. It is not necessary to know the legend (or the symbols) to understand / enjoy this film.
The animation is gorgeous and the characters are fun. Almost all of the characters from the original return for this film, with a few additions. Once again the sugar skulls are hilarious, without saying a word. Leo is a strong lead, and Don Andres and Alebrije get to do more in the film. The new characters work with the story, although Kika does get grating. Once again, it is a funny and energetic film with aspects of horror. Again, not for young children.
To date, they have made 2 more sequels (La Leyenda de las Momias de Guanajuato in 2014, and La Leyenda de las Momias de Guanajuato in 2016) which take Leo and his friends to tackle more Mexican legends.
La Leyenda de la Llorona (2011) 81 minutes
Director: Alberto Rodriguez
Starring: Yair Prado as Leo San Juan
Andres Couturier as Don Andres
Rafael Inclan as Alebrije
Monica Del Carmen as Kika
Erick Canete as Beto
Rosario Zuniga as Rosa
Mayte Cordeiro as Teodora
Mercedes Hernandez as Yoltzin
Rocio Lara as La Llorona
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