October 16, 2023
The country was in the throes of World War 2. Merchant Romualdo (Arnold Reyes), his wife Ligaya (Beauty Gonzalez) and his children, Tala (Felicity Kyle Napuli) and Bayani (James Mavie Estrella), together with their housekeeper Amor (Angeli Bayani) lived in a mansion in a remote wooded area. Local Japanese collaborator Antonio (Ronnie Lazaro) accused Aldo of stealing gold bars and was demanding him to surrender them.
One day, Aldo had to leave for town, leaving his family alone to fend for themselves. Ligaya's cough was steadily getting worse but she was confident that Aldo was coming back home as he said. When the food supply was dwindling, the two children went out into the surrounding forest against their mother's advice. Tala met a beautiful Fairy (Jasmin Curtis-Smith) who promised the child that she can always call on her for help for anything.
This horror film was written and directed by Kenneth Dagatan. This is only Dagatan's second feature film as director after his auspicious debut in 2018 with "Ma." There were several notable similarities between these two films, aside from the outline of a crow on their posters. Both were atmospheric horror films that involved a sick mother and her traumatized children, and an enchantment in the forest as a main plot point. Both films had remarkable technical aspects, especially in cinematography, production design, and sound effects editing.
As the beleaguered Tala upon whom the story revolved, theater child actress Felicity Kyle Napuli makes an astounding film debut, deserving of awards consideration. Child actor James Mavie Estrellas likewise had a strong screen presence, and his character Bayani was a victim of extreme violence, for which hopefully he would be properly debriefed. As the possessed mother Ligaya, Beauty Gonzalez had to endure harrowing acting challenges, and make-up sessions. Ethereal beauty Jasmin Curtis-Smith was aptly cast as the mysterious Fairy.
Dagatan purposefully shrouded majority of this whole film in darkness. The lighting in several scenes were very dim, such that we could barely see what was going on. Some were even in total darkness, running as long as five minutes or longer, where we see practically nothing, only depending on the soundtrack to deduce what was happening. I see its need for the eerie atmosphere, the oppressive chiaroscuro can feel really excessive. Can't help but smile in one scene when one character actually said that they needed light. 6/10.
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