Overview
- The feature, which premieres Friday, June 12, will open in select theaters and stream on Netflix as a canonical prequel to the Ambriz brothers’ 2021 Frankelda’s Book of Spooks.
- Critics across recent reviews praise the film’s handmade stop‑motion work, noting meticulous puppetry, richly detailed sets and inventive creature design that make the visuals consistently mesmerising.
- Reviews identify problems in the film’s latter half, saying the story becomes overcomplicated, the pacing uneven, and the finale leaves several plot threads unresolved rather than delivering a self‑contained ending.
- Observers credit Guillermo del Toro with creative and logistical support and note his influence on the film’s gothic monsters, operatic musical numbers, and folkloric tone.
- As Mexico’s first feature‑length stop‑motion production filmed in the country, the film both raises the profile of Mexican animation and sets up further franchise possibilities that could shape future projects and industry attention.