Foreign cultures bring a new dimension to horror films. From the onset we start off on the wrong foot. The Spanish original title is Dimensiones Ocultas which translates literally to "Occult Dimensions" in English. This makes more sense than Don't Panic. Considering this film was shot in 1989 and in Mexico, one must excuse the silly dumbness of it all. It was charming at first, then not so much. You’ll see what I mean.

It’s Michael’s birthday and after the main party ends at his house, Michael’s real friends show up to get drunk and play Ouija. Apparently drinking was ok considering Michael’s mother is an open alcoholic. Tony (Michael’s best pal) opens the board and starts things off by apparently being inhabited by the devil or a demon. Michael has one eye on the board and the other on the coy new student Alex. The group of five or six kids playing the Ouija that night will be stalked and killed by a mysterious presence.

The next morning Michael gets to school late, as did Alex so they decide to have breakfast and tour the neighborhood on Michael’s bike. They feed ducks, eat ice-cream, get their picture taken and ride on a row boat. The next day Michael sees Alex flirting with another student. Alex explains to Michael the situation, Michael gives her a magical rose and they sleep together in his bedroom. I have long since given up on seeing breasts in this movie because the curse words had been edited out. What kind of shit is that? Michael wears the same set of dinosaur pajamas for the entire film and on many instances going out doors to public places in them. A grown adult man in dinosaur pajamas – only in Mexico. Now Michael sees the killer and who the next victim is but he himself gets red blurry eyes so bad he can barely see where he’s walking. He tries to warn the next victims but all his friends die, not believing him. It appears that the killer is a demon inhabiting the body of Michael’s buddy Tony. Eventually there is only Michael and Alex left alive and the demon creature is on their tail.

The final showdown happens at a factory at night. It has been known that there is a special knife that must be found to kill the demon. It was actually the same knife the demon used to kill his victims. By good luck Michael acquires it. He manages to cripple the demon by dropping a large amount of debris on him. Michael is levitated very high into the air by the creature’s magical power. Alex rushes in and stabs the creature in the chest with the magic knife. It dies as well as his magic hold on Michael. The fall kills Michael and that’s it for him. I don’t feel sorry for Alex because she seemed like a bitch, and besides she was blatantly flirting with another guy in school after that magical morning Michael and her shared.

Mexican horror movies are still fun to watch. I recommend you see a couple. Michael is a queer young man, and perhaps that was the funniest part of the movie. So I guess the message is clear. Don’t play with Ouija boards or it will screw up your life and kill your close friends. I neglected to mention that the blood here was quite a good treat. There was a kill where the creature thrusted the magic blade up, under a guys chin. And the freaky red eyes of pajama kid. Check this one out. The laughs are in there more than evil demons or occult dimensions!

- Jorge Antonio Lopez