Uninvited

Uninvited is undeniably a campy affair, but it's at least enjoyably so. So satisfying is the idea of watching Ate Vi take out a group of disposable villainous archetypes half her age that you can almost forgive the movie for being so predictable. Almost.

Dan Villegas' revenge flick revolves around Eva Candelaria (Vilma Santos), a mysterious woman who arrives at the birthday party of a wealthy man, Guilly (Aga Muhlach), who, a decade earlier, murdered her daughter. Eva has come to settle the score and exact her revenge.

While the premise holds promise, the film struggles to deliver a satisfying payoff. Dodo Dayao's script takes its time establishing Eva's vendetta, but all this buildup to the climactic party confrontation feels drawn out and, unfortunately, predictable. The stakes are never fully heightened, and what should be a cathartic moment of reckoning instead falls flat due to a lack of tension and urgency. The action itself lacks finesse, and the film's resolution feels as though it's simply going through the motions, leaving little room for emotional payoff.

Despite its narrative missteps, Uninvited is still worth watching, thanks in large part to the performances of Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach. Santos fully embodies the vengeful mother turned vigilante, imbuing Eva with both strength and vulnerability, making her journey compelling even when the script falters. On the other hand, Muhlach relishes his role as the over-the-top villain, bringing a sense of glee to his character's evil deeds. Their chemistry and contrasting performances, while limited to the climax, inject some much-needed energy into the film.

While the movie stumbles to deliver the impact it promises, Uninvited still earns a seat at the table, thanks to the commanding performance of its leads, even as the material around them fizzles out. It may not be the must-see event in theaters it aspires to be, but it's definitely a fun watch for a streaming session.

It doesn't hold back on trying to be suitable for mass consumption or appealing to the general audience.

It has its flaws, such as some situations being unrealistic (I won't go into detail to avoid spoilers) and some scenes in the ending feeling a bit anti-climactic, but the build-up was really good.

The casting (the assigning of actors to the characters) was great and very "surprising," to say the least, with an interesting combination of actors: Aga Muhlach, Vilma Santos, Nadine Lustre, Tirso Cruz III, Mylene Dizon, RK Bagatsing, and Elijah Canlas. This one didn't feel like they picked characters at random-the chemistry was really there, and I would've loved to see more of it in a TV series.

Notable mentions for acting go to Aga Muhlach, whose hysterical behavior and performance were so good that he was genuinely intimidating and maddening. Definitely a strong contender for the Best Actor award.

I loved the set, cinematography, and overall atmosphere of the film - it was modern yet vintage. It's one of a kind and the production team really nailed it with the high-society crime vibes. I think Filipinos have truly nailed making movies cinematic, and this one is solid proof.

Another notable mention is the accompaniment of cinematography and VFX to create industry-leading violence and gore. It didn't look "unprofessional"; in fact, it's quite a step forward in terms of execution.

In terms of plot, it's not the most unique (see synopsis), but an execution worth watching.

Again, I'd like to reiterate how much I appreciate the direction the movie industry is taking. They are becoming bolder and bolder, moving away from the typical "family-friendly" movies, and I believe Uninvited will go down in the history books for this shift.

Overall, an industry-leading Filipino movie for those into crime, thrillers, vintage aesthetics, violence, and a bit of gore. It's still some ways off compared to Western production, however.

This movie should have a trigger warning for some viewers. Uninvited is a raw story about human trafficking and rape. I find the actors of this film to be quite talented with extraordinary range. The dialogue is terrific and the subtle expressions added more weight to the delivery. Really captures how heavy this film should really be. Aga Mulach is an all around household name known for light and comedic themes. This was a stark departure from him. Guilly is very repulsive. Vilma Santos is a true OG. If the younger generation do not know how good of an actress she is, they need to watch this film. Nadine Lustre embodied the personality of her role and really came through with the conflicted feelings it has. 10/10.

Lily (played by Gabby Padilla) ruined the movie. Her appearance doesn't suit the role of a college girl-she looks too old for it

Gabby Padilla's portrayal of Lily in the film significantly detracted from the overall experience due to a noticeable mismatch between her physical appearance and the character she was meant to portray. As a college student, Lily was expected to embody a youthful, energetic presence, but Padilla's mature look made the role feel unrealistic and distracting. Her appearance did not convincingly align with the typical image of a college girl, which disrupted the immersion and made it difficult to fully engage with the story. This casting choice ultimately undermined the film's credibility and left a lasting negative impression.

This movie shouldn't be shown in the mainstream cinema because the quality of this film is like its intended for "low peak" time in tv where people are not watching the tv after 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

The lead villain and his minions acted poorly with disappointing dialogue.did they make the script of this movie overnight?

The avengeful mother looks so old and you can tell she cant hardly do the stunts.she should have just stayed at home sitting on a lazy boy while crying.

Script has lots of loopholes which makes this movie unrealistic and it will definitely make you raise your eyebrows while scratching your head.