Mallari is not your typical Filipino horror film — here’s why
As the 49th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) concluded, the general public witnessed the evolution of Philippine cinema. With its roster of films, it’s safe to say that this is their best edition in recent years. One of the most acclaimed films from the festival was Mallari, starring Piolo Pascual, Janella Salvador, and JC Santos. Adapted from the story of the only documented serial killer in the Philippines, Fr. Juan Severino Mallari. He believed his mother was bewitched and that killing would fight the curse and save her. The story alone was enough for people to ram the cinemas, but here’s why Mallari is not our typical local horror film.
Mallari’s Plot and Storytelling
Compared to the usual “visiting an island or an old house for vacation and accidentally waking bad spirits” and “a ghost haunting someone to provide justice for someone who suffered an unjust death” plots, Mallari follows the plot of a third-generation Mallari rediscovering the history of his lineage and finding a cure for his wife. Well, this film didn’t focus on the killings of Fr. Mallari, but more on the reason why he committed them.
The film provided the audience with a Piolo Pascual multiverse through the art of foreshadowing, flashbacks, and time travel through dreams. The film had many peaks, but the storyline set all of them at the right time to keep the audience hooked.
Motifs and Cultural References
For a movie that is supposedly historical fiction, Mallari covered a lot of themes. They covered three different eras of the Philippines—the Spanish reign, American colonialism, and the present day. They also did not hold back in referencing church teachings, which are essential in solidifying the priest’s character. Moreover, cultural and folklore references were also present in the film, such as ‘bawang at asin’ and ‘supernatural creatures.’
The movie has so many layers in it that it might feel quite overwhelming to process. And a straightforward depiction of the story would’ve made more sense. Nevertheless, the plot unfolded perfectly, ensuring you will not leave the theater confused. The pacing was amusing, though the ending was quite disappointing. I understand them—who wouldn’t do anything for Janella Salvador?
Powerful Production
The impressive production makes this horror movie stand out from the rest. Firstly, each cast member portrayed their characters with justice. Moreover, the set design was well thought out, and all pieces were intricately chosen. Even the use of specific props like the blanket, camera, and amulet was meticulously devised.
Furthermore, it has marvelous framing and cinematography; the color grading was all on point, especially since the story featured three generations. Most importantly, the music scoring of this film is undoubtedly precisely curated, outperforming the rest of the lineup and bagging Best Scoring on the Gabi ng Parangal of the festival.
Overall, Mallari is a refreshing horror film that ventures into different themes of our culture. It did a great job of depicting beliefs, whether church-related or folklore-related. Bringing you on a time-travel ride to the past, the future, and all at once. Indeed, this is one of the best films from the MMFF and probably the Philippines’ best horror film of 2023.
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