"Class Of 2018" Movie Review: The Kids Are Goin' Crazy In This Fun Teensploitation

T-Rex Entertainment brings together some of the country's favorite teen stars in one of the most highly anticipated local films this year. "Class Of 2018", directed by Charliebebs Gohetia, and co-written with Jericho Aguado, features "Goin' Bulilit" alumni Sharlene San Pedro, Nash Aguas ,Kristel Fulgar, CJ Navato and Kiray Celis. They are joined by T-Rex Artists Lara Fortuna and Aga Arceo, together with veteran actors like Yayo Aguila (Kiko Boksingero), Adrian Alandy, Dido dela Paz (Respeto) and Alex Medina (Babagwa, Heneral Luna). The film also stars Jomari Angeles (Ma' Rosa, Hintayan Ng Langit), Ethan Salvador (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral), Michelle Vito, Kelvin Miranda, Nikki Gonzales, Shara Dizon, Hanna Francisco, Renshi de Guzman, Dylan Ray Talon (Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus), Micah Jackson, Jude Servilla (Bagyong Bheverlynn), John Vic De Guzman (Seklusyon), Yvette Sanchez, Jerom Canlas, Noubikko Ray and Sherry Lara.

"Class Of 2018" follows the students of Section Zamora, the section where Del Pilar National High School’s young misfits, losers, and delinquents usually end up in. Everyone knows that anyone in Section Z has no chance of a good future. When Section Z goes on a field trip to Mt. Bantayog for an Earth Science project, one of them contracts a mysterious virus. The infected student quickly develops disturbing symptoms, eventually driving him to attack the rest of his classmates. Out of nowhere, the military swoops in and quarantines the class in an abandoned facility somewhere deep in the forest to control the spreading of the virus. While inside the quarantine zone, everyone in Section Z is forced to fight for survival. Their issues with each other arise as quickly as the spreading of the mysterious virus, which heightens the infected’s aggression and thirst for violence. Believing that a proper future is waiting for them outside, the surviving students gear up to fight their infected classmates, who have transformed into mindless violent monsters. With the additional threat of the military who quarantined them for suspicious reasons, will the students make it out alive?

"Class Of 2018" doesn't really work as a horror film. It's more of a scifi thriller infused with some comedy. Imagine "The Maze Runner" meets "Battle Royale" with a Pinoy flavor. Its premise may not be new to us since we have seen many stories about experiments gone wrong in movies, but the script from Charliebebs Gohetia and Jericho Aguado manages to be interesting enough as they stuffed it with many twists and turns. Gohetia, who recently directed the Cinema One Originals comedy film "Bagyong Bheverlynn", infused the story with effective humor that creates a perfect balance between violence and laughs. The production values were okay, plus it has some nice visuals (despite some rough CGI), particularly the playful cinematography.

But the biggest aspect as to why the film works is because of its cast. It was so nostalgic to watch Sharlene San Pedro and Nash Aguas together since I have witnessed these two grow up from those cute little child actors back then to the teens that they are now. Their acting prowess were on full display of the film. NashLene fans will also get their money's worth because of their sweet little moments together. Kiray Celis was so fun to watch as your typical mean girl/ queen bee. I don't know why Michelle Vito keeps on getting typecast as the dumb rich or mean girl in movies ("irregardless?") but to her credit, she does the job really, really good. CJ Navato was okay as the nerd of the group, though he didn't really have anything to do except to make theories about what's going around them. Ethan Salvador and Jomari Angeles (both from the film "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten") did a great job with their roles as Nash Aguas' buddies. Lara Fortuna was a revelation as the ass-kicking fighter in the group. But it was Kristel Fulgar who stole the spotlight as the mean girl turned good girl of the class. Her character was the most interesting one among the class. Kristel's performance was probably the best in the film. Her funny and quirky portrayal added to the enjoyment of watching the film.

Of course, the film isn't that perfect. It has several plotholes, some really bad characters who always choose making stupid decisions (like risking your life and another person's for a necklace?), and those weird visions of the characters' future whenever they die. The scares also don't work that much. I also sensed that some of the characters don't feel any danger at all.

Despite its flaws, "Class Of 2018" is a pretty engaging and amusing teensploitation. And aside from its entertainment value, it's also a morality play on today's society and a critique on this generation's youth, in the guise of a teen horror thriller with lots of comedy. It has its moments of fun and thrills, and loads of fan service. It's the type of film best enjoyed with friends as it promises viewers a really good time at the cinema.

Rating: 8/ 10

 "Class Of 2018" is now showing in Philippine cinemas from T-Rex Entertainment.

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Movie Review : "Sin Island" (2018)

Star Cinema's latest Valentine offering is probably it's most risqué and controversial film to date. A titillating and suspenseful erotic thriller, "Sin Island" is a movie you will not expect from a big company outfit like Star Cinema which is known for it's family-friendly comedies and romance flicks. And that makes this movie even more exciting. 

Directed by Gino M. Santos, "Sin Island" tells the story of a picture-perfect married couple David (Xian Lim) and Kanika (Coleen Garcia) whose paradise in each other’s arms will be put to the test as she enters into a dangerous affair shortly after his career tanks into a downward spiral. As David discovers Kanika’s transgressions, he flees to Sinilaban Island where he meets and engages in a carnal affair with a girl named Tasha (Nathalie Hart). Despite their mistakes, the couple decides to rekindle their marriage, but Tasha refuses to let go of David.

The film starts off in a rather slow but effective introduction to the pitch perfect marriage of David and Kanika. As the story progresses, we witness David plunge into depression after his business falls down the drain. Because of what event, he eventually gave up on life and retreated into staying at home, cleaning the house and doing home based works. On the other hand, Kanika ends up feeling like she is the only one carrying their whole marriage and becomes exhausted of trying to bring back the old David. She ends up being attracted to a pilot (TJ Trinidad) which David soon discovers. This forced him to take the chance to getaway to Sinilaban Island (hence the title) where he meets Tasha whom he became close and ends up sleeping with her. But Kanika soon realizes that he loves her husband more so he goes after him and decided to fight for their marriage.

The film is basically a rip-off of other past erotic thrillers we have seen in he past like Fatal Attraction (1987) and The Boy Next Door (2015),. But what makes this film much more enjoyable than those mentioned is that the film knows how to have fun. And this is very evident with the laughter and screams inside the cinema when we watched the movie. Gino M. Santos is one of the most promising filmmakers of this country today. And so far, "Sin Island" is his most fun and entertaining film to date. 

Xian Lim took quite a big risk in accepting the role of David. It was so refreshing to see him in a character like this because we have been so accustomed to seeing him in romance comedies and dramas before. Coleen Garcia was really good in portraying the role of Kanika. She has definitely gone a long way when it comes to her acting since her first movie, the indie film #Y (also under the direction of Gino M. Santos). But the real break-out star of this film is Nathalie Hart who plays the antagonist Tasha. She is like the equivalent of Anne Curtis' Kara in "No Other Woman" and Glenn Close's Alex in "Fatal Attraction". Her character goes through a lot of transformation all throughout the film and she was able to be consistent in her character. She also gets to throw most of the film's funniest and unforgettable lines like "I only give my puta self to the man I love."

Technical-wise, this is one gorgeous picture. From the beautiful location of the island to the stunning cinematography, everything is just so pretty and perfect. The scene when David and Tasha first had sex was probably one of the most beautifully shot bed scenes I've seen. It's actually way better than the past "Fifty Shades" movies combined. The execution and direction of the scene was so artistic and sexy at the same time. Then, there are those zoom in shots of the characters which add some campy feel to the movie, like those films from the 80's.And don't start me with that alluring soundtrack featuring KZ Tandingan's cover of "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig".

 The film itself is made more fun because of the sudden shifts in tone from the first to the second half of the film. It change gears and turns into a "Fatal Attraction" type of thriller that will shock viewers and put everyone at the edge of their seats. People were really screaming during the final act of the film and it was so fun hearing them. I must say that Gino M. Santos definitively knows his genre because he maneuvers the film smoothly and very effectively. If he has other plans for a movie like this, then I am looking forward to it.

"Sin Island" is the type of movie best seen when you're with someone, with your partner of friends. It's a sexy yet fun and exciting roller-coaster ride of emotions. An intoxicating serving of a film that is worth the price of admission.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

Movie Review: Raya Martin's "Smaller and Smaller Circles" (2017)

Hard-hitting social commentary and solid performances makes Raya Martin's period crime thriller a must-see.

Based on the best-selling novel by F.H. Batacan, this crime thriller follows two Jesuit priests,  Father Gus Saenz (Nonie Buencamino) and Father Jerome Lucero (Sid Lucero) as they help in the investigation of a serial killer in Payatas, who leaves the bodies of his victims- young boys in particular- in the dump. The film, directed by Raya Martin, also Carla Humphries, Ricky Davao, Bembol Roco and Christopher De Leon. I have mentioned before in a previous post that Smaller and Smaller Circles is one of my most anticipated Filipino movies of the year. It's been months, almost a year, since I've heard about this project and I've been looking forward to seeing it in the big screen. Fortunately, the long wait is finally over and it was worth it. Raya Martin's adaptation of F.H. Batacan's novel (considered as the Philippines' first crime thriller novel) is slickly made and highly entertaining.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film is set in 1997 and opens with a voice-over from the killer, expressing his thoughts to the audience. This sets up the over-all tone of the film. It is obviously not your typical murder mystery that focuses on who is the killer. Instead, it's focused on finding out why the killer is doing all of this. What caused him to do these inhumane acts. After this, we follow Father Gus Saenz (Nonie Buencamino) who is currently trying to pin down a fellow priest who have been reported to be molesting children under the latter's parish. Unfortunately, this bastard is friends with Cardinal Meneses (in a wicked performance by Ricky Davao) who helps the son-of-a-bitch escape prosecution by transferring him to another parish (to continue his reign of terror). National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Lastimosa (Bembol Roco) and  contacts Father Saenz and asks for his expertise in  forensics anthropologiy to help to solve a series of murders, much to the dismay of lower-level agent Ben Arcinas (Raffy Tejada). Children are being murdered, their their faces, hearts and genitals removed with surgical precision, removing everything that makes them human, and then dumped like garbage. Together with his colleague Father Jerome Lucero (Sid Lucero) a clinical psychologist, they start picking up and putting the pieces of the puzzle behind the murders, while the body count continues to rise.

Though set in the 1990's, the film never relies on nostalgia. One wouldn't even notice that it is a period piece until you see one character using a beeper and an old-style chat session (plus cellphones were a luxury that time so only one character is seen using it). Instead, it relies on building up the mood of the film. From it's dark, dreary locations such as the dumpsite where the bodies are found and the narrow maze of alleyways of the squatter's residences, the film's look echoes a depressing time in our country's history. The gorgeously shot cinematography by J.A. Tadena, adds up to the bleak, somber atmosphere of the film. The film is also unapologetic when it comes to it's display of gore. The sadistic killings of the perpetrator is not shown in full detail, but the results of these murders are shown in their full glory. The desecrated bodies of the young boys are shown in detail, from their missing genitalia to their faceless heads. Some may find it downright repulsive, but for a gorehound like me, it is truly satisfying. With all this, Raya Martin successfully crafted a neo-noir world ripped right out of the novel's pages.

The film's powerful cast is one of the reasons why this movie is very entertaining to watch. Ricky Davao plays Cardinal Meneses with so much wickedness. He is a perfect match to Bembol Roco's Lastimosa, a man of authority who's only goal is to find the truth in all this evil around him. Their heated argument is probably one of my favorite part from the film. The same goes for agent Ben Arcinas (played by Raffy Tejada). his portrayal is so effective that you'll definitely feel the hate to his character, to the point that you would start conjuring plans in your head to bring him down yourself. There were some noteworthy appearances from TJ Trinidad, Gladys Reyes and Tessie Tomas that were so memorable and fun to watch (especially Reyes' character). Carla Humphries was such a delight to watch as journalist Joanna Bonifacio, a strong-willed, spirited young woman who was schooled in Paris. It seems like she is having a renaissance in her career: first is her short yet memorable portrayal in the Cinema One Originals horror flick Nay, and now this. I'm really looking forward to her next projects. Of course, Nonie Buencamino who plays Father Gus Saenz and Sid Lucero playing Father Jerome Lucero both deserve a round of applause for their outstanding performances in this movie. Nonie Buencamino was especially good whenever he is arguing with Ricky Davao and Carla Humphries' characters. His interactions with these two perfectly shows his control over his character. He can be clever and intimidating, but also has a soft spot.

But what makes Smaller and Smaller Circles one of the most important Filipino films of the year is it's hard-hitting social commentary on the corruption and incompetence of our government, the sexual abuse and abuse of power among the clergy and the poverty and injustice of the indigent. The film tackles them layer by layer and even though it doesn't offer much solution to these issues, the film can make it's audience think about them even after the movie has ended.

Raya Martin's Smaller and Smaller Circles is a film that needs to be seen by everyone. It's the type of film that sticks with you. One that lingers inside your head, long after the credits roll. Something that leaves a lasting impact even after you leave the cinema.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

Smaller and Smaller Circles (2017) directed by Raya Martin, starring Nonie Buencamino, Sid Lucero, Carla Humphries, Ricky Davao, Bembol Roco and Christopher De Leon

Movie Review: Prime Cruz' "The Debutantes" (2017)

Sue Ramirez, Miles Ocampo, Chanel Morales, Michelle Vito and Jane De Leon
star in Prime Cruz' "The Debutantes"

Director Prime Cruz is ready to take a new challenge. This time, he's taking the responsibility of giving audiences frights and chills as he gives us The Debutantes (2017), his first straight-forward horror movie to date. Prime Cruz has been known for his award-winning and critically acclaimed romance stories, from Sleepless (2015), Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B (2016) and Can We Still Be Friends (2017). Although he had experience in the horror genre before after directing the web series The Complex and the romance-gore film Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B, this will be his first full-length horror movie. Tagged as a teen color horror film, it stars Sue Ramirez, Miles Ocampo, Chanel Morales, Michelle Vito and Jane De Leon and is produced by Regal Films.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film follows a shy and weird-looking girl named Kate (played by Sue Ramirez). She's always alone at school and is distant with everyone else. Until one day, her classmate Lara (Miles Ocampo) approaches her and asks if she could her her study Math as she is failing the subject. Kate immediately agrees to help her, and she ended up being close to her. In the meantime, Lara's friends, Jenny (Jane De Leon), Candice (Michelle Vito) and Shayne (Chanel Morales) finds pleasure in bullying her. They staged a prank during Jenny's birthday party, embarrassing Kate in front of the whole student body. Soon, Kate starts having nightmares about Jenny, Candice and Shayne all meeting horrendous deaths. Can she and Lara save them before it's too late? Who (or what) is behind these deaths?

As you can notice, the film follows a typical slasher set-up with these characters meeting deaths one by one. The film also pumps up the story with classic horror movie tropes and stereotypes, from the rich and bratty It girls of the campus bullying a shy, nerdy girl. I guess it was Prime Cruz' intention to make the film as campy as it could be. The film doesn't try to make itself a genre-bending film. Instead, it's obviously aiming for the opposite. And this is what makes the film more interesting. Instead of putting numerous twists and turns in the film, the story is pretty much straight-forward to the point that it's predictable. This makes the film more fun since we already know that something is very wrong from the beginning of the film and the audience is left anticipating a final pay-off.

But since we are looking at a movie following a typical slasher format, we are of course looking forward to some pretty sick kills. Unfortunately, this is the part that the film failed to pull off completely. Although the first death was staged pretty nicely, the ones that followed weren't as grandiose nor inspired. I've seen a lot of horror movies and those deaths have been used several times in one or two of those films before. If the film was aiming for camp, it should aim for more theatrical or extravagant kills which is a rule in the horror genre. Also, I noticed that there scenes in the trailer that were not actually in the movie itself which got me a bit distracted as I was waiting for those scenes to show up in the movie while watching it. There were also some questions that kept me wondering like what happened to Kate's cousin and aunt, why the demonic being following them can control social networking sites to scare the shit out of them or where the hell are their parents?

Luckily, the film has an effective cast who helped pull off the whole movie with flying colors (the film is literally boasting with colors). Sue Ramirez who plays Kate was good in portraying the shy and aloof girl ala-Carrie. Chanel Morales, Michelle Vito and Jane De Leon who played the It girls who were responsible for bullying Kate were quite convincing. Most of their performances may come as a bit over-the-top, but since the film is aiming for camp, they worked perfectly to the film's benefit. Miles Ocampo, who played Lara, I guess is the one who really stood out in this movie. Her portrayal of the perfect good girl was really effective and believable. I was really rooting for her during the final act.

To it's credit, the film boasts some really gorgeous cinematography and lightning. This is how one will know that a film is directed by Prime Cruz. He always know how to play with lights and colors, and he played them really well in this movie. It somehow reminds me of Dario Argento's Suspiria (1977) and Chito S. Rono's Feng Shui (2004). I've never seen a local horror movie this colorful, fulfilling it's promise of a teen color horror. Also, the film's final moments was one of the most thrilling and heart-pounding finale I've seen in a local horror movie this year so far. Those final minutes of the film did put me on the edge of my seat and it deserves some additional points for that.

The film does succeed in it's aim to be a campy and fun horror film. Though it's a bit predictable (with one of it's character's big twist being way too obvious from the very first frame where she showed up), it's still undeniably entertaining. Just watch it as a straight-forward horror film and you'll definitely enjoy it.


Rating: ✰✰✰✰ of 5
"The Debutantes" (2017) directed by Prime Cruz, starring Sue Ramirez, Miles Ocampo, Chanel Morales, Michelle Vito and Jane De Leon

FEATURE: Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake star in Kip Oebanda's NAY

Director Kip Oebanda with stars Enchong Dee & Jameson Blake
Source: @KipOebanda

"After Bar Boys, what are you going to do next?" Director Kip Oebanda asks himself in one of his social media posts.

After his critically acclaimed youth-oriented comedy drama Bar Boys (2017) which was part of the very first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino and starred Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda, Rocco Nacino and Kean Cipriano, what's really next for Director Kip Oebanda? The answer to that question is Nay. An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals, Nay features some of the country's well known actors led by Enchong Dee, Sylvia Sanchez and Jameson Blake. In Nay, Director Kip goes for the supernatural as he makes a film about a rich, sheltered youth who gets to be transformed into an aswang by his yaya, Nay Luisa.

Director Kip Oebanda with star Sylvia Sanchez. Source: @KipOebanda

The project was described by actor Jameson Blake as a gore film, a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. This subgenre, though not really popular here in the country, is a staple in American and Japanese cinema as evident in films like George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, Eli Roth's Hostel and James Wan's Saw franchise.

This would be the second time that Enchong Dee and Jameson Blake joined the said film festival. Enchong played the lead role in Paano Ko Sasabihin, an official entry to the 2009 Cinema One Originals. Jameson, on the other hand was part of 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten from last year's festival. This is also not the first time that Kip Oebanda became part of the festival. He has previously worked on the call-center romance film Shift by Siege Ledesma in 2013 where he was nominated for Best Editing (Cinema One Currents). Here in Nay, director/ writer Kip Oebanda take on the classic aswang mythology and gives it a fresh, modern look.

Jameson Blake prepares as his head gets casted for the film's FX prosthesis.
Source: @KipOebanda

I was able to visit one of the locations (a bar in Tomas Morato) where they were shooting some scenes for the movie. Based on my observations, Director Kip has a keen eye for detail as he instructs his two lead actors in polishing a bar scene. Both Enchong and Jameson are on their A game despite the tiring shoot. Jameson is focused on perfecting his acting while Enchong looks like he's just having fun playing an aswang. This is not the first time that Enchong starred in a genre flick as he previously played an aswang hunter in the 2012 horror pic The Strangers and as a possessive and murderous zombie lover in the 2016 horror-comedy I Love You To Death. Jameson, on the other hand is currently shooting another horror film entitled Haunted Forest under Regal Films.

Enchong Dee prepares for a scene.

Nay, according to Cinema One, is one of the seven films which were able to "deliver fresh stories with poignant, hilarious and extraordinary accounts that will touch the lives of more diverse audiences." The finalists were picked by the selection committee led by Ronald Arguelles (festival director), Philbert Dy, Rico Gonzales, Oggs Cruz, Jinky Laurel, Kathleen Pador, Richard Bolisay, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, and Jade Castro. All seven finalists received a grant of P3 million to produce their movie and compete in the festival to be held this November 2017, making it the biggest edition of the festival to date. It is no doubt that Nay is one of the most anticipated entries of the festival this year.

The film's official teaser poster.

With "Bar Boys" and "Nay" director Kip Oebanda

With "Nay" star Jameson Blake

With "Nay" star Enchong Dee

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino : "Salvage" (2017) movie review

SALVAGE, a found footage horror film
by Sherad Anthony Sanchez

It's quite hard to scare people like me who's been desensitized by years of watching countless horror movies in my 23 years of existence. And it sucks, especially because I'm a big horror junkie. I loved being scared. I loved the thrill and excitement. But now, it's very rare to come across a good horror movie. These days, i'm looking for something different. A new brand of horror. Something weird. Something unique. Most of today's audiences have also grown tired of the genre too. So horror movies nowadays need to find new ways to scare people. There's also a scarcity in our local horror movie genre because first, most of the films produced here are romcom or comedies; and second, there aren't a lot of good local horror flicks recently. In Salvage (2015, the film had screenings during the 11th Cinema One Originals film festival), director Sherad Anthony Sanchez wants to subvert horror with one of it's tired sub genres: the found footage.

Taking cues from classic found-footage films before like Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust (1980) which revolutionized the found footage style of narrative filmmaking, later popularized by such films as The Blair Witch Project (1999)  and Paranormal Activity (2007), the film has a similar plot as it follows missing documentary film crew. After being suspended, a TV news Team is redirected to an unwanted assignment of Aswang rumors in a town in Central Mindanao. Cynical and unenthusiastic, they follow their lead towards a remote barrio where they experience the varying definitions of salvage. The film stars Jessy Mendiola. JC De Vera, Joel Saracho, Karl Medina and Barbie Capacio, the film was produced by Cinema One and Salida Productions way back in 2015 and is getting a commercial release just now.

The film starts out with your typical behind-the-scenes look on how documentaries are done. Here, we get a glimpse on what the media is willing to do for the sake of ratings and viewership. It's like a satire on today's journalists, and their portrayal is often humorous and at times over-the-top. We are led to believe that the suspect behind those murders in the province are aswangs, but then, the film takes for a turn as it is revealed that the mythical monster is not the real culprit. It's somehow satirical, considering that the real people behind the disappearances and murders in the town is the military there, which reflects the daily news that we watch everyday on extrajudicial killings and overkill by the police force. After this revelation, the movie takes off from being your normal found footage film to a weirder movie that no one, not even me, can still comprehend up until now. Don't get me wrong as to why I still cannot interpret the movie easily. I've seen the film twice now (the first was during last year's Cinema One Originals film festival) but it's still hard to explain what the whole movie is all about. This is when I realized that the film is doesn't really have a straight-forward story and instead, goes for a psychedelic mind-trip. Revealing what really happened will definitely spoil the movie and ruin the experience, but let's just say that the town that they went into is like our country's own local version of the Bermuda Triangle.

The film's use of the found footage technique is quite fun to watch. This subgenre may not be new to moviegoers as we have seen countless of them before, but it is definitely new to local cinema. This may as well be the first found footage horror film that we had (there's another found footage Pinoy horror flick earlier this year entitled Darkroom but it was sort of forgettable). The use of glitches and pixelation in it's scenes, similar to the technique used in Unfriended (2015) was really effective. It adds a gritty feel to the movie because it seems like an actual recovered documentary reel. These glitches and pixelations also creates some really creepy and disturbing visuals. During the first half of the film, we see the action unfold through the lenses of the team's camera. But soon, these characters starts to experience some weird, hypnotic trance and the camera shots eventually get's mixed up with the character's point-of-view, blurring the lines between what reality and fiction. This is what makes Salvage trippy and mind-bending kind of fun. Director Sherad Anthony Sanchez' take on horror isn't like your typical horror flick where you get thrown one jump scare after another. The horror in this film is about the unknown. It's all about uncertainty and unpredictability. You are not sure what you are seeing anymore. You're not even sure if there is an actual plot anymore. But here you are, glued to the screen. You can't take your eyes off it. You have to see what happens next. You have to know where this will lead the characters. You don't care about the story or plausibility of the film. You're like riding a roller-coaster in an amusement park: you just stay and sit there, enjoying the wild ride.

To their credit, the cast were very game in giving their best into this movie. Jessy Mendiola plays Melay, the segment producer of the a news and current affairs show on television. Her portrayal of the role is simple, which makes it believable. Her added charisma works well on screen especially for her character as we mostly follows her through all the mayhem in the movie and root for her survival. JC De Vera plays Neil, the team's cameraman. Though he is mostly not seen for quite some time in the film since he is always the one holding the camera, he still tries his best when it comes to his acting scenes. Barbie Capacio adds humor to the film's gritty atmosphere. The whole theater roars with laughter every time she is present. Joel Saracho and Karl Medina add some great screen presence as they complete the team's cast. It was so fun to watch them run around the forest, screaming and cursing at the same time. Though there were some moments when the acting was a bit rough or may come as over-the-top, it looks like they're just playing around, having fun, and that's what makes it enjoyable to watch (especially that thrilling jeepney chase).

At times, the film is a hit-or-miss and this is most likely due to the film's very limited budget. This film was produced through film grants from the Cinema One Originals film festival and not like those slick Hollywood found footage films we've seen in theaters. But luckily, the crew tries to overcome it's limited financial sources by experimenting on different techniques to create a film like Salvage. I know for sure that this movie may not fit well for the tastes of other moviegoers, but for those cinephiles who wants to see something different from Philippine cinema, this movie is for you. Sherad Anthony Sanchez' Salvage is a bizarre, hallucinatory mindfuck - one that will stick in your mind for along time.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5

Salvage (2017) 

Directed by Sherad Anthony Sanchez,
Starring Jessy Mendiola. JC De Vera, Joel Saracho, Karl Medina and Barbie Capacio

***

The "Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino" is a nationwide week-long celebration where all movie theaters will exclusively screen Filipino films in line with the Buwan ng Wika. This festive event is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines in partnership with theaters nationwide and will run from August 16-22, 2017.