MMFF 2017 Movie Review : Ian Loreños' "Haunted Forest"

Old school horror gets a millennial twist in this MMFF entry from Regal Films.

The annual Metro Manila Film Festival promises that there's a movie for each and every one. And for those seeking thrills and chills during the Christmas season, here's one movie that you may want to check out. One of the biggest participants of the annual MMFF, Regal Films, wasn't able to get a slot in last year's festival. But now, Regal Films is proud to present their latest horror movie offering and their official entry to the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival. Haunted Forest, directed by Ian Loreños, stars teen horror princess Jane Oineza (from this year's Bloody Crayons) paired with Cinema One Originals 2016 Best Supporting Actor  Jameson Blake. They are joined by Maris Racal, Jon Lucas with Raymart Santiago and Joey Marquez.

Screenshots from the trailer

Haunted Forest revolves Aris (Raymart Santiago) and his estranged daughter, Nica (Jane Oineza). When Aris was reassigned back to his hometown, he immediately starts on a case investigating a murder which is staged similarly to the death of a childhood friend that haunts him. While his father is away, Nica, her cousin and her local friends went for an outing where she encounters a creature of local folklore, the Sitsit. The creature becomes very fond of her and soon, weird things start happening to her. She tries to shake it off at first, but it gets worse day after day, until the creature takes a hold of her. Can Aris save his daughter from the evil hiding in the woods? Can they stop the Sitsit once and for all before it gets to claim another life?

Back in 2015, Regal Films brought us Jun Lana's shockfest Haunted Mansion which starred Janella Salvador. And because of the similar titles, I can't help but think that Haunted Forest is that film's spiritual sequel. But Haunted Forest is very different from the Jun Lana horror flick. Unlike the 2015 film fest entry which focused on non-stop shocks and jump scares here and there, Ian Loreños' film is more focused on playing with audience's emotions through the movie's characters. It doesn't rely on shocks and jump scares to send chills to it's audiences. Instead, the film puts audiences into a roller coaster ride by placing it's characters into different, horrible situations. Although the film mostly follows a typical old school horror flick, they also had surprising turns in the story that I didn't expected.

Story wise, the film is more akin to the Regal's classic horror movies of the past. It follows traditional folklore and introduces a mythical creature as it's main antagonist. It's plays out like an old school monster movie, similar to Mark Reyes' Tiyanaks (2007), Rico Ilarde's Pridyider (2012) and the successful Shake, Rattle and Roll series. The film's premise is quite simple. But because of it's simplicity, the film was able to smoothly tell the story without any hiccups. It doesn't need any major plot twists to make it interesting because the film's weirdness is what makes it unique. The film also incorporates a bit of humor into the story, making it more fun all throughout.

The film's main antagonist, the Sitsit, is also one of the creepiest things I've seen in a local film this year, alongside the demon in the library in Katski Flores' Ang Pagsanib kay Leah Dela Cruz. Although it is obvious that the monster is just a man wearing a costume and prosthetic, it sure does  look pretty terrifying. The spirits of the creature's victims also looked so creepy with their make-up. The film's setting also looks good and suited the story, particularly the location of the woods where the gigantic banyan-like tree is found in the story. The only problem I had was the computer generated effects they used in the film. For the most part, they were okay. But there were a lot of moments when the CGI effects are pretty clunky and looked so fake. This is very evident during the film's final act. I wished they just stick with using practical effects instead of CGI because it kind of distracting.

The film's cast also deserve some praise in making the film work. Raymart Santiago was believable as Aris, Nica's father. Dido Dela Paz was an unexpected but nice surprise. Joey Marquez and Beverly Sarmiento were both fun additions to the movie. Jon Lucas and Maris Racal looked so great together as Andre and Mich respectively, although they weren't given enough screen time together. I wished their characters were explored a bit more. Jameson Blake is adorable in his role here as RJ. His charm is filling up the screen every time he's in it. With those dimples, he always makes the girls in the audience swoon over him. He is perfectly paired with Jane Oineza. She truly deserves some praise for her committed performance as Nica. After her head-turning performance in the recent horror thriller Bloody Crayons, it's really good to see her again in the big screen. Honestly, she is one of the most underrated actresses of this generation and I believe that she can do more. I am grateful that Regal Films gave her this chance to star in this movie. She was really able to display her acting prowess with this role, and for me, she deserves some nomination for Best Actress in this year's MMFF awards.

To be honest, the film isn't that scary especially for someone who have seen dozens of horror movies in the past like me (as I'm already immune to feeling scared), BUT I really had a good time watching it. I must say that this is one of the most fun local horror movies that came out this year. I particularly loved the final act of the film as the main characters try to fight the Sitsit. It was so exciting and thrilling, even the audience inside the theater where I watched it were screaming and cheering. It kind of reminds me of the final act of Hollywood horror film It that came out earlier this year.

Haunted Forest is one weird, but fun horror movie that is best enjoyed with family or friends. It has it's moments of creepiness, and is a highly entertaining ride from start to finish and promises audiences a good time in the cinema this holiday season.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

Haunted Forest (2017) directed by Ian Loreños, starring Jane Oineza, Jameson Blake, Maris Racal, Jon Lucas with Raymart Santiago and Joey Marquez, produced by Regal Films. An official entry to the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival.