Luperca Returns is the second film The Independent Critic has received and reviewed in January 2020 from up-and-coming low-budget filmmaker Alexis Ramirez. 

It is also Ramirez's most recent of the two, though both films feature Caitlyn Geiler. 

Luperca Returns tells the story of Luperca (Terri Claire), who has lost her way and lives a mundane existence with her previously existing powers now considerably drained. When a stranger (Geiler) arrives with promises of reviving her former self, Luperca is at first intrigued before true intentions are revealed and she must fight back. 

An admirable effort that never quite gels, Luperca Returns starts off with promise thanks to the strong presence of Claire, a compelling figure on-screen who projects a sort of weathered vulnerability as if she's had one too many fights and there's simply no fight left. However, the camera lingers just a tad too long in her silence and what initially convinces eventually starts to feel a bit cheesy with a muted impact. 

Listed as both a horror and thriller, short Luperca Returns isn't particularly effective as either though it certainly does pick up toward the film's end. Geiler, an obviously gifted actress who was playful and engaging in Ramirez's Out of Boredom, was reportedly cast a mere two days before production as Luperca's adversary in this film and is tasked with playing an edgier, more menacing character that never quite comes through. 

Luperca Returns feels like it's on the verge of something promising, but the film never quite gets there. Visual effects are generally effective, especially when one considers that the film is a microcinema effort. 

For more information on Luperca Returns, visit the film's official IMDB page linked to in the credits. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic