Seklusyon Review

Rhed Bustamante as Anghela Sta. Ana,
a young girl gifted with healing powers in Seklusyon
(Screengrab from YouTube)

Evil is all around us. Evil takes all forms. Evil will come for you, no matter what you do or where you go.

Such idea is what drives this lone horror film entry in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival. Seklusyon (Seclusion) is director Erik Matti's fifth horror film. The first was Pasiyam (2004); second was Tiktik : The Aswang Chronicles (2012); third was Kubot : Aswang Chronicles 2 and the last one was the short films I is for Invincible (ABCs of Death 2, 2014) and Vesuvius. And of all his past works, this latest project is probably his best foray into the genre. And if compared to the past MMFF horror film entries that came before, this movie is probably way scarier and better than the very last nine installments of the Shake, Rattle & Roll franchise combined (with the exception of the 8th installment).

Erik Matti returns after his critically acclaimed entry last year, the thriller drama Honor thy Father (2015) which sparked the change of the film festival rules after the awards snub fiasco ( it was disqualified from the Best Picture category of the festival). Just like his last work, this film revolves around religion. While Honor Thy Father revolves around a religious congregation terrorizing a family after they got involved in a scam, Sekluyson follows four deacons who come face to face with evil during their ritualistic seclusion from the outside world. This period horror film, set in 1947, includes a subplot involving a priest who is investigating the miracles of a young girl named Anghela Sta. Ana. He believes that the nun who is accompanying the girl is evil and is trying to manipulate her. The film jumps from this narrative to back and forth to the first one as the story progresses, until it reaches it's final act where the two narratives meet.

The script, written by Anton C. Santamaria, bravely tackles ideas that we usually try to avoid. The events itself in the story acts as a metaphor, of how we react to today's news and events. The characters of Miguel (Ronnie Alonte), Fabian (Dominic Roque), Marco (John Vic De Guzman) and Carlo (JR Versales) are aspiring priest who must stay in a secluded location during the last seven days before they are anointed as official priests. During this stay, they are haunted by their secrets from their pasts, yet they try their best to suppress these secrets further. when something evil is obviously present right in front of them, the three of them chose to turn away and act as if nothing bad is happening. This is a nod to Filipinos who kept on turning a blind eye to the brutality and violence present in our society today. Despite all the deaths that is being reported to us in media, from television to newspaper, we chose to turn away. We kept on telling ourselves that everything's alright. That this is for our own country's betterment. Anton C. Santamaria's script infuses a lot of symbolism and ideas that directly mirrors the Philippine's current events. In the story, whatever we do to stop evil, it keeps on coming back and eventually wins. There is even a line from one of the characters stating that even if we destroy evil, we are already too late as they already have people hiding among us, slowly and secretly growing and bearing more fruits. This is exactly what's going on here in the country nowadays, particularly our government. The corrupt have already crawled their way into the system, growing more connections and infecting other governments officials with their dark ways and dirty tactics. One thing that I noticed though regarding the script is that there are times that the two narratives do not mixed that well. sometimes, the jumping back and forth from the first story line to the second breaks the flow of tension. Luckily, Erik Matti fixes all that.

Erik Matti gives life to this script with his trademark direction. The film is brutal and violent, just like his past films On The Job (2013) and Honor Thy Father. There's a lot of blood in the final act. A priest is burned alive from the inside out. A dead woman hanging from a tree gives birth to a dead fetus. We also get a lot of vomiting all throughout the film. There is a sense of dread and paranoia from start to finish. The opening sequence itself of the film is gorgeously choreographed and directed. It already sets the tone for the rest of the film. But what really makes this period piece stand out from the rest of the horror films that has plagued our cinemas for the past years is that it's real scares comes from the tension between each character. Yes, it does offer some effective jump scares and shocks. I remember jumping off my seat at least two to three times. But the real scares comes from the tension that you feel whenever you see one character staring at another with those devilish eyes. You can feel the dread when one character talks to another one and their secrets starts to be revealed. You can feel the uneasiness when you start doubting what is real and what is not, of who is evil and who is good. I can proudly say that this is one piece that we can compare favorably with other classics of the horror genre like The Omen (1976) and The Exorcist (1973).

The cast are made up of mostly lesser known actors compared to the past MMFF entries before (since star power was obviously the main driver of the previous versions of the festival). Yet these actors prove that a good movie isn't driven by popularity, but with pure talent. Ronnie Alonte who plays Miguel, an aspiring priest who is trying to forget the death of his previous lover. Honestly, he still needs a little more workshop. But being his first acting role in a film, he was able to successfully portray his character with gusto and energy. You can really see his passion in playing the role. He has promising talent, and he just needs the right people to guide him through. Dominic Roque has been in the industry for a couple of years now and I guess that's what made him a better actor. Compared to his past roles in other films, this one in this movie really allowed him to showcase his acting talent. Newcomers John Vic De Guzman and JR Versales plays Marco and Carlo respectively. These two actors may be new to the film industry, but you can really see great talent in them. Veteran actors Neil Ryan Sese and Lou Veloso adds up to the film's already powerful cast. Their inclusion to the film gives it a more old school appeal and a serious look. But the real breakout stars of the film are it's two actresses, Phoebe Walker and Rhed Bustamante. Phoebe Walker plays the silent and mysterious nun, Madre Cecilia, who always accompany the gifted young girl, Anghela Sta. Ana, played by Rhed Bustamante. Phoebe Walker dominates the first half of the film, with her long gaze and body movements that will make you feel uneasy every time. Her role doesn't offer much dialogue, yet she can clearly bring you chills just by her face, particularly those eyes. She can be seductive, yet creepy at the same time. That is until the second half of the film. Here, Rhed Bustamante dominates the screen with her Best Actress worthy performance. She is the scariest girl I have seen in a Filipino horror film since that creepy flower girl from Chito Rono's Sukob (2006). That's almost a decade worth of waiting. Rhed is like an adult stuck in a young girl's body. She talks and acts like she's as old as her fellow actors. She even throws lines that is so not appropriate for her age ("Puta siya. Puta ka."). Her acting skills are just beyond my comprehension. I just can't think of any other word to descrivbe her. She is a revelation. A gem of the film. If Eugene Domingo is the soul of the other MMFF entry Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2 : #ForeverIsNotEnough, Rhed Bustamante is the living force that embodies Seklusyon. For me, she should bag this year's Best Actress awards.

Seklusyon is a rare film that redefines the Filipino horror genre and takes it up one level higher. There might be times that the flow of tension is disrupted by it's sudden switch of narratives, but the film compensates that with smart, clever direction and praise-worthy acting. Overflowing with metaphors and symbolism, brimming with uneasiness and disturbing content, an eerie and atmospheric tone that is consistent all throughout, and paired with a very talented round of actors and actresses, Erik Matti masterfully cooks up one effective chiller that will surely scare the living daylights out of you. 

Rating: ✰✰✰✰1/2 out of 5

Seklusyon (2016)

Starring Ronnie Alonte, Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, Neil Ryan Sese, Lou Veloso, and Dominic Roque

Written by Anton C. Santamaria, directed by Erik Matti