Review: ‘O Apostolo’ is an original chiller

It’s not every day you see Claymation servicing an old-fashioned ecclesiastical chiller, which earns the painstakingly designed, hand-crafted Spanish offering “O Apóstolo” some originality points. Writer/director Fernando Cortizo’s tale focuses on an escaped convict on the hunt for jewels hidden by a fellow inmate, which leads him to a remote, wooded village called Xanaz, populated by a handful of unnervingly hospitable geezers.

Situated on the path to Santiago de Compostela, the town is a pilgrimage waystation. Pretending to be one such traveler, crafty Ramon (the voice of Carlos Blanco) nevertheless picks up on the sinister vibe surrounding the mist-shrouded town’s religious relics and nocturnal activity but not in time to avoid becoming a pawn in its ancient curse. The movie isn’t exactly scary, and it has a tendency to meander. But the crumbling, ornate sets are an atmospheric marvel, and a cutout-animated collage sequence unveiling Xanaz’s damned origins is Terry Gilliam-level nifty. Plus, Cortizo shows satirical flair about religious authority when he introduces a materialistic, pompous archbishop, voiced by the late Spanish horror star Paul Naschy.

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What drives a thief and an ambitious man of the cloth may lead to the same spiritual trap, “O Apóstolo” shrewdly observes, but which one has the good sense to recognize the devil’s handiwork when he sees it?

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“O Apóstolo.”

MPAA rating: None.

Running time: 1 hour, 24 minutes.

Playing: At the Laemmle Playhouse 7, Pasadena.