Mallari (MMFF 2023)
Directed by: Derick Cabrido
A man goes back in time
to figure out the mystery of a serial killer
named Mallari.
Halos lahat ng pwede mong makita sa isang horror thriller film ay inilagay nila rito. Nakakatuwa dahil kaya pala natin makaisip ng ganitong konsepto na siksik sa iba’t ibang elemento.
Hindi lang siya basta patayan, habulan, sigawan. Maraming pasabog sa kwento na tila walang hangganan. Sunod sunod ang mga plottwists sa dulo at wala itong hingahan.
Piolo Pascual gave his usual good acting. You can see the distinction among the three characters he is portraying. Gloria Diaz was graceful. Geraldine Villamil was terrifying. The performance of JC Santos was impressive and applaudable, serving as one of the film’s highlights.
The color grading, scoring, sound design, and cinematography altogether gave a thrilling atmosphere. The movie’s original song, composed by Quest and interpreted by juan karlos, is a powerful appropriate soundtrack.
The first half is filled with empty jumpscares, while the other half is filled with secret revelations. The time travel concept and all the other horror elements are just part of the plottwists and are not used to enhance the plot.
The flow of the story is not gripping. The switching of the timelines is not smooth. The history of the priest was barely tackled. The serial killings weren’t fully exciting. The love story was hurried. The three timelines weren’t maximized.
The journey of each character is clearly missing in the film. You won’t get to know them well. All of them felt like an acquaintance.
Dumaraan lang sila.
Hindi mo makapitan.
Mallari’s greatest strength still lies on its concept. The effort to be a different kind of horror film was seen and appreciated. If watching 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪 means getting better horror stories, then count us in.
Let 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪 be the start of something new.
MALLARI
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cast: Piolo Pascual, JC Santos, Janella Salvador, Elisse Joson, Tommy Alejandrino, Raffy Tejada, Geraldine Villamil, Gloria Diaz
Story & Screenplay by: Enrico C. Santos
Presented by: Mentorque Productions
Release Date: December 25, 2023 in Philippine cinemas nationwide
A Movie Review by: Goldwin Reviews
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