Espantaho

Espantaho takes things to another level. It's not a typical jumpscare horror film, but the blend of horror and drama, enhanced with CGI, adds a new layer to Filipino cinema. We're used to seeing White Ladies or Pinoy Aswang , but the fresh concept of different kinds of pests with a unique twist makes this film stand out. The CGI wasn't perfect, but it was refreshing to see such an effort.

And of course, Judy Ann Santos' portrayal of Monet was superb. There was no need for a dramatic breakdown scene to prove she's a great actress-her natural acting made the film incredibly powerful. Judy Ann Santos at her finest, delivering yet another unforgettable performance. Her performance is deeply compelling, proving once again why she hailed as festival's best actress in the said festival.

Espantaho bills itself as a supernatural horror film, but don't be fooled-the only terrifying thing about it is how much of your time it wastes. What should have been a chilling ghost story ends up being a tangled mess of melodrama, family feuds, and a painfully bloated script. It's more telenovela than terror.

The film throws in everything: a cursed painting, inheritance drama, long-lost family members, bitter ex-wives, unresolved trauma, and a haunted mansion. But instead of weaving these into a gripping horror narrative, it drowns them in endless dialogue and over-the-top emotional confrontations. The scares are few and far between, and when they do show up, they're as predictable as they are toothless.

Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino give solid performances, but even they can't salvage this script. There are entire subplots that go nowhere, characters introduced only to disappear without consequence, and supernatural elements that seem like afterthoughts. It's like the film couldn't decide what it wanted to be-so it tried to be everything at once and failed miserably.

If you're looking for horror, look elsewhere. If you want to watch a family shout at each other for two hours with the occasional cheap jump scare, maybe Espantaho is your kind of movie. For me, it was just garbage.

It tries to do a lot of things and, as expected, ends up performing "quite below average" on all fronts.

It was less of a horror movie and more of a revenge-mystery-moral-family story... but isn't? It's not even trying to scare you. The countless immersion-breaking moments, at the very least, kept it from being even remotely "suspenseful."

Apparently, it suddenly became a drama. Though, in fairness, it was a bit sad ("a" for singular). However, throughout, I wasn't able to connect with the characters. They could die and you wouldn't even care. The characters themselves didn't even care!

It didn't help that the pacing was one of the fastest I've ever seen. You're thrown right into the situation, and the succeeding events feel like one season of a TV series cramped into one movie.

They flexed a lot in the VFX department. They might actually consider making a CGI action movie instead. There were some "epic" (not "scary") VFX scenes, and a few genuinely gross and phobia-inducing moments-leeches, rats, locusts, and trypophobia (holes). It's both progress or a curse.

But in terms of progress in the Philippine VFX industry, it's still nothing revolutionary when it comes to closing the gap to realism. It's noticeably more frequent, so it's ambitious on their end, but at the expense of breaking immersion because of how "CGI" it is. Still, I gotta hand it to them, it does have its moments.

The sound effects and "jump scares" often felt too over-the-top, honestly making me chuckle instead of scream. I have no idea how this passed their review process.

The story is... forgettable at bes, and I'm generally lenient and don't throw that word around lightly. The mystery wasn't even interesting: it's your typical "abandoned cursed object" plot device, solved merely by asking a few people. They didn't even solve it themselves.

There were plenty of instances where the characters' reactions or acting didn't align with what was actually happening, and that's what irks me the most. A ghost could be beating someone or throwing an object, yet the actors' faces and reactions failed to convey the gravity of the situation. It's like they see ghosts or supernatural events once a week.

They are great actors; their legacies have proved it. But here, it felt like they gathered legendary performers via a raffle and mixed them together. JC Santos and Judie Ann as couples, seriously? There's no chemistry; not that the plot revolved around it. Anyway, this might be one of my least favorite movies from all of the casts.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a horror movie where you can scream and enjoy jump scares with loved ones, this is seriously not it. But if you want a quick mystery and some CGI, you can give it a shot.

As a fan of Chito Roño's classics- 'Feng Shui', 'Sukob' and 'The Healing', I have high expectations in this film but Roño gave it masterfully. He has something different to offer here. 'Espantaho' delivers a fresh take on the horror genre. It managed to come up with an engaging storyline combining it with superstition and folklore. It is also a heartwarming horror drama with decent jump scares, making it a perfect watch for the whole family.

The three main actresses, Judy Ann Santos, Lorna Tolentino and Chanda Romero give a satisfying performances. They embody their character with nuances and depths but Queen Juday's portrayal is particularly noteworthy. She is really deserving for the Best Actress award!