Japanese and Korean horror, the two powerhouses of Asian horror, often feed through the same ideas consistently throughout their media but this Filo horror feels very. Different.
This is very regional, almost very proud that it comes from the Phillippines and it catches my attention. I've seen another Filo film (Aurora, Yars Lamaras, 2018) which was also a 6/10, but both movies really caught my eye and made me sit still. They demand my attention in a way that I haven't really experienced before. Their plots are hauntingly and devastatingly beautiful to a degree I have not known in horror.
If you haven't come across Filo horror before, I recommend giving this a try to ease yourself into it (after all, every country has its own format of horror and its something one must get used to as they delve into it to truly appreciate).
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This review may contain spoilers
I enjoyed watching Eerie because every scene presents classic and stunning visuals. This reminds me of director Mikhail Red’s work in Birdshot (2016). It’s so well-crafted that it doesn’t matter if it’s a day or night shot. Every element you see on screen is a feast for the eyes. That as well as the actors.Bea Alonzo, who is known for romance and drama genres showed off her versatility in Eerie. Charo Santos-Concio, on the other hand, has an incredible screen presence. Whenever she’s there, I wanted to run and hide or just go to class. Or, pray that I’m not in her class. Anyway, they both shined in Eerie and I honestly want to see them together in this type of film again.
Now for the story. They touched many other topics – bullying, corporal punishment, education system, and domestic violence to name a few. I honestly think touching certain topics outside the supernatural can be beneficial. It can make the story more interesting and deep; however, they could have just picked a few that would support the original structure. Then they can delve into those deeply so the audience has something even more solid to hold onto.
I say this because I only remember how beautiful the film was and how great the actors were. I am a fan of such storyline but I have yet to see the perfect one. Judging by Birdshot and his latest projects, I think director Mikhail Red will soon present it. This is after all his first foray into the horror genre.
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The plot is rather mediocre - it’s the same old hunting story we have seen thousands of times. What makes the movie great is how it presents, the overall tone and great pacing. While you know where the plot goes early on, you might still be interested in how it will be shown.
Bea Alonzo acts as a driven counselor, who makes her mission to help students in any way she is capable of. The mix of fear and concern she presented in many scenes was done in a believable way. Overall, the acting of the whole cast ranged from good to great, and I had no major issues with it.
Sadly, the movie loses some points from the over the top jump scares that they drop left and right, whenever they are needed or not. The movie would be far more frightening without them. Rather than flashing scary faces on screen, holding the shot still with eerie background elements would elevate the suspense and anticipation, in the process giving a better payoff.
Overall, goodish horror. Nothing outstanding, but for sure enjoyable.
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