Peek At The Fire (2022)

This Film Pissed Me Off

BIG ASS TRIGGER WARNING: There’s physical abuse, death threats, and rape in the film.

How do I even begin? I feel like (and know) there’s so much to say but I don’t want to talk about this film. God, there’s a reason I stay away from films like this and I forget why I even decided to give this one a shot. I think that the entire film is unnecessary because I don’t think the film was even trying to say anything worthwhile. Aside from the obscene amount of sex scenes and violence, yeah, I don’t think there’s anything much the film was trying to convey.

A lot of the time, it felt like the film didn’t have a direction it was following. It got a little boring at times. One thing I am certain of is that the film tried too hard to be edgy. Its elements, to me, are proof of that. The thing is, I would have been fine with the abuse, the rape, the violence if it all boiled down to something. At least, something. No. It didn’t. I’m lost. No, scratch that. I’m fucking blind. I can’t see what the film is trying to say. I sound like a broken record, don’t I?

In the middle of the film, I was just so enraged because everything seemed pointless. At that point, it was just a bunch of graphic sex scenes and abuse. I should’ve stopped watching but my completionist ass won’t let me. I didn’t even get anything fulfilling when I finished the damn film.

The only thing that deserves undisputed praise is the acting. Sid Lucero did good as an abusive twat that he evoked a good kind of reaction from me: fear. A lot of the time, I just ended up laughing at how ridiculous everything was getting or sighing or actually saying, “That’s disgusting” out loud. In his scenes, I found myself getting anxious and that’s the only good thing to ever come from me when it comes to this movie. Angeli Khang, sure, she did okay but her acting does sometimes fall flat. Paolo Gumabao, sure, he did good too. I don’t know what to say, really. Angeli Khang and Paolo Gumabao managed to hold their own in the presence of a great actor such as Sid but still, I can’t help but think that some performances pale in comparison.

I don’t want to talk about this film any more. It just makes me so angry and grossed out. Needless to say, I hated it. I wouldn’t recommend it but if you’re curious, then go ahead.

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