South East Asia – Movies of the Soul

Vampire Owl: This should surely be about us.

Vampire Bat: Why do you keep feeling that so many movies would be about us?

Vampire Owl: Well, because we are the true nocturnal creatures?

Vampire Bat: Even zombies walk around only at night.

Vampire Owl: I have seen a few like a smaller army in daylight though.

Vampire Bat: They are not zombies, but humans without brains.

Vampire Owl: There are many humans like that?

Vampire Bat: Yes, mostly the fans of some celebrities and blind supporters of political ideologies.

Vampire Owl: I did not know that they were not extinct.

Vampire Bat: Well, they are surely rising in power, stronger than ever in the human world which faces many apocalyptic events at the same time.

[Gets a packet of Milk Bikis and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jamie (Nadine Lustre) has been working as an overseas worker in Dubai and has returned to her hometown of San Sebastian following her younger sister Joanna’s (Bea Binene) mysterious death. Her mother Lilet (Eula Valdez) feels that a sinister curse which is part of the Filipino folklore of the kumakatok is haunting them and also took her daughter to the grave. According to the folklore, these are ghostly figures that knock on the doors after midnight, and those who open them are doomed to be die or at least lose a loved one within three days. Jamie does not believe in any of these, and feels that her mother is mentally sick, in need of treatment. Joanna’s boyfriend Manu (Wilbert Ross) feels that the curse is real, as his girlfriend had talked about the same before death and he has also been having some hallucinations after her death. He wishes to stop this, but is too afraid to do anything about it.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The explanations of the police officers do not seem to satisfy any of them. Most of the locals think that it was a suicide just like those self-proclaimed logical ones. It seems that the curse has bound itself to the family, and escape only gets more and more difficult as time passes, and someone or the other is taken from among their beloved, and their father was just one of them. These kumakatoks need lives and they are not going to stop, as it is told by more than one person who have heard about the folklore. Jamie is still not a person of villages and small towns of the country. She had left this lesser-known simple world a long time ago and would not have come back there under any circumstance. But is this the beginning of the end for them? Can the family stick together and fight against this centuries-old pure evil that takes souls to another world? Is there really some kind of supernatural force or is there some sinister person or mental disorder at work? Is it already late to act and find a solution or can the protagonist return in peace?

The defence of Nokturno :: The Kumakatok myth from the folklore of Philippines has been used well, and it is something that our world is not aware of, and is not seen that much around. The atmospheric horror works really well, and the focus on rural areas makes some moments even more interesting with the mysterious supernatural side. The sound effects also add nicely to the horror, and it seems to be around at all times in the background. The connection between modernity and a largely ignored world of the past can be easily seen. The mystery is present at all times, and we know that the danger awaits, even though there is nothing directly shown around here. The folklores of all nations should be part of a knowledge system based on horror, and it is something that we should keep learning as part of understanding different cultures and traditions. After all, myths based on demons are stronger than any other, as we are all driven by fear and the lack of understanding of the supernatural, which drives this movie too. To add to the same, there is an emotional side around here too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie is still too slow as it moves forward, and the horror is not that much mainstream terrifying, as the common audience look at it. This means that the commercial side will not keep the movie going forward. The smooth transition to horror is not always there, and slowing down seems to come naturally to this movie. There is a little bit of too much talk around here instead of getting the horror wings. We never really get to see a monster with all its glory, and most of the time it is all about finding the knocks at night and being afraid of something which might happen because there is this folklore about which the mother-figure believes so much. There is too much left to the imagination, and the problem with the same is that some people might end up choosing not to imagine at all, and there is lies the true lack of horror, and a curse that could not be fully effective. There are a few things that will always work in the case of horror movies, and this one seems to forget that with a certain amount of convenience.

The performers of the soul :: The movie has an outstanding performance by Nadine Lustr who connects to both the horror and emotions really well. She provides the character with the much-needed emotional depth, as it is that kind of a character who returns home after such a long time, and some grief and regret are to be present. Bea Binene has her moments in the first few minutes, and we would wish to have seen her for a longer period of time. She seems to suit a scream queen situation quite well, and would suit bigger roles in many horror movies which are to come. Eula Valdez adds further emotional depth to the tale, and the tragic side of this story remains close to her performance. Wilbert Ross has also come up with an emotionally memorable performance. JJ Quilantang as the younger brother also has something do around here, and the same is done well. Ku Aquino’s work also remains memorable, as his character creates a certain amount of hope against all odds.

How it finishes :: This only the second movie from Philippines being reviewed here, and the first one was also quite an emotional horror work in the form of Outside, with the presence of zombies and the world almost reaching an end. I had heard a lot about this movie, and I was sure that it had to be watched sometime soon enough – it could have been the first Filippino movie to be reviewed, but missed the same in the first attempt. This one might not be everyone’s cup of demon, but in a world of evil humans, we need all the demons we can take, and taking them from folklore would always be the best option. The movie might not that much be liked for the pace, and people would have wanted to see more scary things on screen, but this remains strong enough, even without the same. The soul of the horror here lies in the certainty of loss and the absolute grief that will haunt them for an eternity, if they survive. Well, horror has always been the true human reality, unlike most of the fantasy that they show with romantic and feel-good movies.

Release date: 31st October 2024
Running time: 99 minutes
Directed by: Mikhail Red
Starring: Nadine Lustre, Eula Valdez, Bea Binene, Wilbert Ross, Ku Aquino, JJ Quilantang

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Vampire Owl: We get to watch a Vietnamese film after a long time.

Vampire Bat: Well, this is the prequel of the other Vietnamese movie which we watched.

Vampire Owl: That should remind us to watch more of the same kind.

Vampire Bat: Do you think that we will have time?

Vampire Owl: We are immortals. We have all the time in the end.

Vampire Bat: But the world is everything except immortal.

Vampire Owl: Immortality is subjective as long as we remain vampires.

Vampire Bat: The werewolves and zombies would call us quasi-immortal.

Vampire Owl: Immortality can vary according to situations.

Vampire Bat: All kinds of immortality should serve the purpose.

[Gets a chicken samosa and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Bi (Đồng Ánh Quỳnh) is forced to leave her home in the countryside after her mother is murdered, and she kills the man who is responsible for the plight and had also assaulted her. She is forced to leave her home for Ho Chi Minh City as it is also burned to ashes. She lives in the new city doing some small jobs and also through a little pickpocketing which she masters. She meets Jacqueline (Veronica Ngo) who saves her from being assaulted by her usual opponents in the streets. She decides to go with her instead of continuing to wander around the streets. She finds out that there are many other homeless children in Jacqueline’s place. But there is more the lady she just met than what meets the eye for the first time. She meets Thanh (Tóc Tiên) and Hong (Rima Thanh Vy), who seem to have been taken under the care of Jacqueline just like her. The two girls don’t seem to like the newcomer that much, as she seems to be incapable of blending in, with less skills including the social ones. These girls also feel like well-trained in the unexpected.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The girls have formed a vigilante group to protect women from the gangs of the city which have been involved in trafficking young women and girls for brothels. As of now, Bi seems to be the weakling among all of them. But she manages to prove her point there, with not being ready to back down. This group known as the Wild Daisies targets the city’s major gang leader Hai a.k.a. Mad Dog (Thuận Nguyễn), who manages trafficking of young women to serve in his brothels with a casino as the front office for all the illegal activities. His dominance is assured by his trusted lieutenants, Long bồ đà (Song Luân), Sơn Lai (Gi A Nguyễn) and Tèo mặt sẹo (Phan Thanh Hiền). But Hai is not without enemies, as there is a continuous gang war going on. Jacqueline also seeks vengeance on him for the atrocities he committed on her family. But the requirement for revenge might not be enough to progress in her mission. There is a long way to go, and she goes through a difficult path with the new girls.

The defence of Furies :: There need to be time spent for the appreciation of the action that we see on the screen here. It is not dependent on heroism or overdose of effects or properties, but seemingly dependent on what actually can be done. The training sessions that we see here are almost as good as the fighting scenes outside. The fighting basically never really has a long pause after the procedure begins. The Vietnamese style of Martial arts never really cease to catch our attention either. The colours that we see around here add to overall beauty of the action that we have around here. It is not just limited to the inside environments, as the streets also add to that colourful side. The feeling of being in a world of crime which moves on towards terror is always there, and the villainy is something that works like a dream. The characters do remain interesting at all times, and we have the tales of bonding against all odds, adding a certain emotional side. The ending also nicely sets the world to go to the previous movie whose incidents happen later.

The claws of flaw :: Furies had to fit into the shoes of Furie, which was then selected as the Vietnamese choice for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, and it can be safely said that the effort is very good. The beginning might have the viewers in a little bit of doubt, but those questions never really survive for that long. But the film never gets to the quality of the previous one, as there are moments which seems to be rather forced. Some moments lose the realistic touch, and the emotions here are not able to match the feelings which were so strong in Furie. This film could have surely been much more with some twists and turns along with a more satisfying ending. The adrenaline rush could have also been more. At times, you are reminded of movies like Charlie’s Angels, but without the comic side and having a much darker angle to it. One can be sure that if this movie was produced by Hollywood or Bollywood, it would have looked a lot different, even if most of the violent side is maintained without second thoughts.

The performers of the soul :: Veronica Ngo who played the leading role in the earlier movie also leads the way here. She continues the good form, and the fighting skills go on to exhibit the same strength as the previous flick, even though not for that long – she doesn’t remain the focus of attention here for quite a long period of time as there is the team of three that takes the spotlight. Among the girls, it is Rima Thanh Vy who adds a certain lighter side to the proceedings. There fun whenever she is around, and that stands apart from the rest. Tóc Tiên has the stronger presence among them all, and can be considered as the action star above the rest. Đồng Ánh Quỳnh plays the emotions and trauma of her character really well. Thuận Nguyễn makes a nice villain in the process. Vovinam, the Vietnamese way of martial arts seems to have been effectively used by all the performers well, while elements of Chinese and Japanese systems of fighting can also be seen. The release in Netflix means that the movie will have better viewership than its predecessor.

How it finishes :: Furies serves as a prequel to Furie which released earlier, does that particular job which was given to it really well. A highly stylized martial arts film with female protagonists leading the way is found here with fully powered action sequences. It is only some time back that we had John Wick once again bringing the never-ending action to the big screens, but this kind of a martial arts mixture has been missing for long enough, whether we had Hitman, Transporter, Kate, Mechanic, Accountant or any such character in between. This world with the stylish lighting of Ho Chi Minh City and what lies beneath makes an environment which stays distant from the usual Hollywood-style setting, and yet maintains quality within its divergence. If you are looking for a classic martial arts movie which does not overdo anything and still manages to have so much of action, you have it here. There were opportunities to be lost in the available options, but the movie has risen above them to provide us with an experience which is to be remembered with many other action films.

Release date: 23rd December 2022 (Vietnam); 23rd March 2023 (Netflix)
Running time: 109 minutes
Directed by: Veronica Ngo
Starring: Veronica Ngo, Đồng Ánh Quỳnh, Tóc Tiên, Rima Thanh, Vy Thuận Nguyễn, Song Luân, Gi A Nguyễn, Phan Thanh Hiền