By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Take a hallucinogenic trip to the Yucatan jungle from the safety of a theater seat.
Dekanalog gave us the first word that it will release WETIKO exclusively to Alamo Drafthouse locations beginning March 2. Written and directed by Kerry Mondragon, it stars Juan Daniel García Treviño, Neil Sandilands, Dalia Xiuhcoatl, Carlos Emilio Báez, Jordan Barrett and Bárbara de Regil. The synopsis: “Deep in the dense jungles of the Yucatan, where the air hums and the ground seems alive, WETIKO follows Aapo [Treviño], a young Mayan man trying to survive the modern hustle without losing his roots. When he takes a quick-cash job for his family-owned pet store delivering hallucinogenic bufo toads to a remote jungle ceremony, it feels like an easy score. One trip in, one trip out.
“What begins as a promise of transcendence inside a shady eco-village quickly reveals itself as something far more dangerous. Led by Zake Zezo [Sandilands], a smooth-talking, bloodthirsty shaman who feeds on belief, fear and control, the ceremony peddles enlightenment to Western spiritual tourists and new age seekers. But as the powerful drugs kick in, reality fractures—time bends, the jungle pulses, and Aapo is trapped in a hallucinatory war zone. As paranoia spikes and alliances collapse, Aapo realizes Wetiko isn’t a myth but a sickness—greed, consumption, and spiritual rot spreading fast. Hunted, high and unraveling, he must choose whether to become another casualty—or break the cycle before the jungle swallows him whole.”
