Released: August 2018

Director: Erik Matti

Not Rated

Run Time: 127 Minutes

Distributor: Well Go USA

Genre: Action/Thriller

Cast:
Anne Curtis: Nina Manigan
Brandon Vera: Rico Yatco
Victor Neri: Berni Lacson
Arjo Atayde: Biggie Chen
Levi Ignacio: Chongki
Alex Calleja: Teban
Lao Rodriguez: Rudy Dela Cruz

One of the coolest things about watching action movies from other countries, is being able to see what they bring to the table.  Obviously, everybody’s seen at least one or two Jackie Chan movies in their lifetime, so action films from China aren’t really anything new.  When Ong-Bak showed up back in 2003, it gave us a glimpse into how Thailand approached the action genre, and it was a refreshing change of pace from all the wire-fu stuff that was being thrown at audiences.  Then I started watching action films from Indonesia including the highly-regarded Raid films starring Iko Uwais.  Heading back to the west, we get a taste of Chile with some of Marko Zaror’s films like The Redeemer.  Hell, even Cambodia got in on the action with Jailbreak.  Granted, the film wasn’t really that good, but the fight sequences were amazing.  Each country brings it own style and flavor to the genre that helps them stand out, and most of the ones that I’ve seen, have a tendency to put the State’s films to shame.  Now, we come to the Philippines with Buybust.

Set in the Philippines, Buybust follows rookie agent Nina Manigan as she joins a new tactical unit after her previous outfit was slaughtered because of corrupt cops.  Her new team is being sent into a nearby slum to locate and arrest a brutal drug lord, Biggie Chen.  As soon as they enter the slum, everything goes to hell.  Surrounded by a brutal gang on one side and angry civilians on the other, the group fights to try and escape with their lives.  The story is pretty good, but it is very familiar territory, as we’ve seen this kind of story in films like The Raid and Dredd, and it was done a little bit better in those films.  That being said, what we’ve got here still isn’t bad, and it’s a very compelling story.  It works because of its characters, because a lot of the main outfit are pretty likable.  What really sets this film apart from the others is the setting.  The film is set in the Philippines during the government’s war on drugs, which gives the film an added sense of realism.  I’ll get into why the film’s setting is so important later on in the review, but let’s just say that it adds a whole new dimension to an already outstanding film.

Any good story is going to be driven by its characters, and Buybust has some pretty strong characters here.  One of them is Rico Yatco, a giant of man who is a bit superstitious but also a physically intimidating presence.  Brandon Vera does a pretty good job here, despite this being his first role.  Vera is also a former MMA fighter, which makes his fight scenes authentic.  Levi Ignacio plays Chongki, Biggie Chen’s second in command and a real scumbag of a human being.  Levi really makes the character a legitimate threat.  This character is willing to kill anybody just to make a point.  Everybody does pretty good job here, but the real standout is Anne Curtis as Nina Manigan.  For an actress more known for her romantic comedies, she’s really put through the grinder here as a tough-as-nails rookie that is actually smarter than most of her teammates and superiors.  Anne is fantastic here.  She’s not a martial artist, but she does an incredible job with the physical aspects of the film.

Speaking of action, Buybust is violent as hell.  It does take a while for the action to start, about 20 minutes or so, but when it hits, it’s pretty much merciless and unrelenting.  This is where the film starts showing how similar it is to The Raid while still being its own thing.  The gunfights are pretty much constant and nobody is safe.  Even some of the team’s characters that you may like won’t make it, because of how intense and volatile the situation is.  While the film isn’t really a martial arts film, it does feature aspects of Filipino martial arts including eskrima and kali.  The fight choreography isn’t really something to write home about, but it does get the point across.  This also brings up another aspect that I think does work in the film’s favor: Shaky cam.  I know, I know:  I’ve ranted on many occasions on how much I hate that filming technique.  It’s often been used to hide terrible choreography, but it does have its merits.  If you’re dealing with close combat warfare, it absolutely showcases the chaos that is a part of that kind of warfare, and that’s how its used here.  The battles in the slum are absolutely chaotic, and the camera-work once again gives the film an added sense of realism that you generally don’t see in a film like this.  The shaky cam technique here isn’t as bad as some other movies, because I can still discern what’s going on, so kudos to the film-makers for being able to do that.  The effects are mostly practical, and honestly, I’m sure there was some CGI used here, but you can barely tell because of how crazy everything is.

I mentioned how important the setting of the film is for a reason.  As I said, the film is set in the Philippines during President Duterte’s war on drugs.  While the film is definitely entertaining and that is its primary purpose, Buybust doesn’t shy away from the consequences of a war on drugs.  As you may or may not know, President Duterte is ruthless when it comes to his war on drugs and he doesn’t seem to care who gets caught in the crossfire.  Buybust shows us what happens when a ruthless government tries to take down equally ruthless drug gangs in the poorer sections of the country.  Innocent people get caught in the crossfire, so they have a hard time differentiating who the actual villain is, and the film does its best to make sure that line is constantly blurred.  At one point, a man is attempting to bury his child who was a victim of this crossfire, only to lose another family member when the character of Chongki kills him just because his phone’s alarm was going off.  No punches were pulled here.  What Buybust is, is Erik Matti basically slapping Duterte in the face and rubbing it in, even though the president isn’t specifically mentioned in the movie.  The director has been an outspoken critic of Duterte and hasn’t shied away from controversy surrounding this film.  There’s another thing I want to mention before I wrap this up.  There is a moment in the end credits where certain police officers’ names were displayed.  These were guys that were some of the police that were killed in this event, and some of them had acted as consultants on the film.  This is why I think a film like this is important, despite it being a balls-to-the-wall action flick.  The message here is about as subtle as a shotgun blast to the face, but its a message that needs to be sent.

If you’re looking for an action flick that pulls no punches, Buybust is one that you should see.  It’s not without its flaws, but it more than makes up for those flaws with high levels of brutal action and a story that has a basis in reality.  It’s one of the most compelling action movies that I’ve seen this year, and I can’t wait to see what Erik Matti comes up with next, or what other action film comes out of the Philippines.  Highly recommended.

My Final Recommendation: 9/10

Some people that I know don’t like horror movies.  Either they scare easily or they’re turned off by the level of violence in some of these movies.  Horror is so much more than blood, gore, and cheap scares.  The horror genre is probably the most versatile genre in film.  You can combine horror with so many other genres.  You can mix-and-match it with comedy, drama, reality, action, or romance.  The thing is, is that you don’t have to mix just two, you can have a movie that is representative of multiple genres at the same time.  Balancing them out might be tricky, but the ones that pull it off successfully are the ones that are remembered the most.  For me, however, the most effective combination is science fiction and horror.  What makes science fiction horror so effective is the reality that it can create.  For example:  The darkness and isolation of deep space can elicit a very strong emotional reaction to the unknown.  Usually, it’s fear.  But when you throw in something like a monster or a deserted ship, you’re giving that fear free license to run amok.  That makes for a very intense experience.  For this post, I’m going to be going over some of my favorite science fiction horror films that really stood out to me.

Alien

Yeah, I’m starting with the best.  Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, Alien, took the world by storm.  The film is about a group of what you would call space truckers as they are returning home from somewhere in deep space when they come across a distress signal from a nearby moon.  The crew discovers an alien ship that was carrying eggs of some sort, when one of the crew is attacked by a parasite.  Back on their ship, the infected crew member has this creature bursting from his chest in one of the most memorable scenes in film history.  What follows is a struggle for survival against a growing creature that could be hiding anywhere in the dark corridors of their ship.  Certain critics refer to Alien as Texas Chainsaw Massacre In Space, and they’re not necessarily wrong.  The creature’s design by the late H.R. Giger is one for the ages.  It is a truly terrifying beast that picks off the crew members one at a time.  It’s an intense ride from beginning to end and gives us Sigourney Weaver in one of the most bad-ass roles that she’s been in as Ripley.  If you haven’t seen Alien, shame on you.  Stop reading this post and go see it!

Event Horizon

When Event Horizon came out, it kind of divided audiences and critics.  You had some people say that it was an intense ride, while others said it rips off better films like Alien and Hellraiser.  I’m one of the people that actually loved this movie.  Yeah, you can definitely tell that the film was inspired by Alien, but it seems to be geared more towards being Hellraiser in space, and on that level, it mostly succeeds.  What really makes this movie stand out, is the setting and atmosphere.  The film mostly takes place on the ship called the Event Horizon which disappeared 7 years prior to the events in the movie, only to show up with the crew missing.  I loved the design of the ship.  It has a very Gothic and cold feeling throughout that really adds to the dread.  While the CGI effects are obviously less-than-stellar, even by 1997 standards, the rest of the film holds up remarkably well.  It has very strong performances from Sam Neill, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Isaacs, and Sean Pertwee.  I wouldn’t say that Event Horizon is equal to Alien.  Most people wouldn’t.  But I don’t think the film is as bad as a lot of people say it is.  Is it derivative of better films?  Sure, but in the best way possible.  I definitely like to watch this one from time to time.

Annihilation

If there was one word that I could use to really describe Annihilation, it would be psychedelic.  From a visual standpoint, this film is amazing.  You have this nifty “shimmer” that’s expanding, but when people go into it, they see some really strange stuff, like altered plant and animal life because of some kind alien genetic modification.  The film falls more or less on the science fiction side, but there are some serious elements of horror that really stand out.  It’s at times a body-horror movie, a monster movie, and an alien movie all rolled into one.  It’s a bit of a slow-burn, but when the violence hits, it hits hard.  This movie is extraordinarily interesting and bizarre.  Yet, it works.  It’s definitely one that you need to see.

John Carpenter’s The Thing

I know I mentioned this film in my Best of October: Remakes post, but it’s still worth mentioning here.  John Carpenter’s The Thing is pretty much the very definition of  science fiction horror.  You’re dealing with an alien that eats its victims and assumes their form, along with their memories and everything else.  In an isolated environment like Antarctica, that would lead to some serious paranoia.  Who do you trust?  Can you trust yourself?  The atmosphere is dripping with dread.  Not only that, the creature and gore effects still hold up over 30 years later.  It’s all done practically and in combination with miniatures.  I love this movie.  You have a very strong cast that includes Kurt Russell, Keith David, and Richard Dysart.  I can’t recommend it enough.

From Beyond

Oh, 1980s, where would we be without your strangeness?  When it comes to movies, there has never been a decade quite like the 80s.  It saw the quality of movies ranging from amazing to amazingly awful to everything in between.  This was before CGI really became a thing, so most of what you saw was done practically.  It had to be.  One of the most bizarre movies to come out of the 80s was From Beyond.  Loosely based on the H.P. Lovecraft of the same name, and I do mean loosely, the film follows a mad scientist(as if there was any other type)trying to experience the outer limits of pleasure by stimulating a particular gland and accessing another dimension.  The results were gooey and gory.  From Beyond was absolutely bonkers.  Genre favorite, Jeffrey Combs, actually plays a bit of a good guy in this one.  The creature designs and effects are absolutely nuts.  It’s definitely not for everybody, but I found it to be incredibly entertaining.

The combination of science fiction and horror is one of the best combinations you can get for a horror film, if it is done correctly.  There has to be a balance between science fiction and horror, but most movies that attempt this combo don’t really work.  Thankfully, the ones that do work are absolutely amazing and those are the ones that I’ve just mentioned.  So, be sure to check them out, if you are as much of a sci-fi/horror fan as I am.  Remember: October continues, and I’ve got something special in mind for Halloween.

Released: August 2006(USA)

Director: Neil Marshall

Rated R/Unrated

Run Time: 99 Minutes

Distributor: Lionsgate Studios

Genre: Horror

Cast:
Shauna MacDonald: Sarah
Natalie Mendoza: Juno
Alex Reid: Beth
Saskia Mulder: Rebecca
MyAnna Buring: Sam
Nora-Jane Noone: Holly

The best horror movies, like most movies in general, depend entirely on their ability to not just scare people, but to tell a coherent and compelling story.  It’s not always about the gore or shock value, even though those values can be attributed to horror.  However, the great ones are able to balance not only top-notch scares, but also strong character development, atmosphere and tension.  I’ll be honest:  Most horror movies these days are generally recycled garbage, with most of them either being remakes, sequels, or spineless teenage-pandering trash.  Part of the problem is that certain movie studios want to try and appeal to everyone, but by doing so, they end up alienating the fan-base that they need the most in a bizarre sense of irony.  I’m not saying that every horror movie should strive to be as shocking or as depraved as something like say….Cannibal Holocaust.  No.  As much as I appreciate that film, there’s no way in hell that I could recommend that to a general audience on a rainy day.  On the flip-side, I can’t recommend movies like Twilight or Slender Man because the film-makers don’t seem to understand what makes a decent horror movie.  If your movie has nothing but jump-scares, then you’ve failed as a film-maker and as a story-teller.  But for those film-makers willing to take a risk and give us a horror movie that we can get behind, then horror fans will generally have your back, even if you make a misstep every once in a while.  That brings me to Neil Marshall’s The Descent.

The film begins as Sarah and her friends are enjoying a rafting trip, only for the trip to end in tragedy.  A year later, Sarah and her American friend Juno are travelling to meet more of their friends for an afternoon of cave exploration.  They find a cave that Juno was scouting out and they make their way down.  After a tunnel collapses, trapping the women, it’s revealed that Juno had led them into an undiscovered cave system.  With the entrance cut off, the women have to find another way, only to find that they are not alone.  The Descent’s got some serious guts for starting the way it did with a horrific tragedy.  What it does, though, is set the tone for what kind of movie that we’re about to experience.  Story-wise, this really is nothing new.  In fact, it borrows liberally from other films like Alien.  Unlike other movies that claim to be inspired by Alien, The Descent gets it right.  Instead of outer space, we’re dropped with the women into a cave of impenetrable darkness.  Truth be told, I find the idea of being stuck underground far more terrifying than being in space.  The film does take a little bit of time to get going after that initial jolt, but that’s to introduce us to our main characters and to allow us to connect with them.  That is the mark of a really good horror film.  If you thought Alien was claustrophobic, The Descent takes that sensation and amps it up to 25.  Atmosphere is important in a film like this, and The Descent has it in spades.

When it comes to story-telling, the characters need to be the driving force for any film, horror or otherwise.  Neil Marshall’s film, thankfully, has some really strong characters.  I’ve always been an advocate for strong women in horror movies.  Too often, we see women as these helpless and fragile things that are used to either sex up a movie or as helpless victims.  It’s very refreshing to see a movie that focuses on really strong and well-written women….mostly.  While most of them do end up as victims, they don’t go quietly or without a fight.  These characters aren’t stupid, either.  They make the best and most rational way that they know how, but they also behave in a way that’s very realistic when faced with a very grim situation.  Because these ladies are written well, we, as an audience want them to be able to survive their ordeal.  Sarah, in particular is a character that has suffered the most with the personal tragedy that she endures at the beginning of the film.  We don’t really see her give up.  In fact, as the film goes on, we see her become a serious bad-ass.  Well done, movie.  Well done.

With The Descent being set deep underground, it makes sense for the sets to be relatively small and claustrophobic.  It’s to help sell the illusion that Sarah and friends are in a very alien environment.  When I said the film borrows from Alien, I meant it.  The tight spaces and rough interiors help to provide a window into a very inhospitable world.  This is also a monster movie.  These creatures are nasty and vicious.  They’re blind, so they hunt by sound.  They also don’t hesitate to start tearing our characters to pieces when everything does go down.  This is a pretty gruesome movie.  It’s got some really fantastic gore and creature designs.  These are guys in suits, so there’s very little in the way of CGI.  The only thing that really stood out to me was that in certain scenes, you could tell they were standing in front of a green screen.  Given the film’s budget, it’s pretty understandable, and it’s not always distracting.  It’s just something that I noticed, especially when watching the film on Blu-Ray.  Overall, the set, character, and creature designs are all absolutely fantastic.  The film doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the action.  The pacing is also really good.  The first act of the film sets up the characters and then it’s a roller-coaster ride into hell.  It’s fantastic.

Before I wrap this up, I want to mention something, particularly about the film’s ending.  It could be considered a bit of a spoiler, so if you haven’t seen the film, click the close button on your browser and go see this movie.  Make sure you see the Unrated version.  The reason I bring up the ending right now, is because there were two endings shot for the film.  The original ending shot for the film has more of a nihilistic bent to it, but it does fit in with the other themes surrounding the character of Sarah.  That version was the version that folks in the United Kingdom got to see.  In the United States, however, the ending was altered to have a more…”upbeat” ending.  While it’s not awful, it feels out of place, especially since the sequel to the film is built off the American ending.  The less said about The Descent 2, the better.  With all that in mind, The Descent is a fantastic horror experience that I urge fans to seek out, if they haven’t already.  It is one of the best horror movies of the last 20 years.  It does have small problems, but those are basically nitpicks and can easily be ignored.  If you’re a fan of horror, do yourself a favor and check this out.

My Final Recommendation:  I’m never going into another cave for as long as I live.  9.5/10

Released: October 2007

Director: David Slade

Run Time: 113 Minutes

Rated R

Distributor: Sony/Columbia Pictures

Genre: Horror

Cast:
Josh Hartnett: Eben Oleson
Melissa George: Stella Oleson
Danny Huston: Marlow
Ben Foster: The Stranger
Mark Boone Junior: Beau Brower
Manu Benett: Billy Kitka
Nathaniel Lees: Carter Davies

Vampires are a main staple of the horror genre, whether it’s movies, books, or video games.  These creatures of the night are both terrifying, yet alluring at the same time.  From the dark and Gothic Count Dracula to the demonic monsters of From Dusk Till Dawn, these fanged bloodsuckers have taken on multiple forms.  Ignore those sparkling bitches that you see in those stupid Twilight movies.  Those aren’t vampires.  They’re pathetic.  Real vampires(as real as can be in fiction, of course)are threatening, powerful, alluring, and immortal.  But they are also not afraid to do some serious damage.  Count Dracula, Blade, and Santanico Pandemonium just to name a few.  Along with werewolves, vampires are among the most popular movie monsters of all time.  So…how do make a vampire movie that not only stands out among the rest, but is also very compelling?  Ask director David Slade, who gave us 30 Days of Night.

There are places in the world where darkness takes hold and doesn’t let go.  Welcome to Barrow, Alaska, where once a year, the sun goes down for 30 days and the townspeople hunker down for the cold dark nights ahead.  When a mysterious stranger shows up, all hell breaks loose and what’s left of the townspeople have to fight for their lives until the sun comes up again as they are under attack from a group of bloodthirsty vampires.  The overall story is kind of one that we have seen before, but it’s still pretty effective.  Based on the comic mini-series of the same name, the film follows Sheriff Eben Oleson as he tries to keep survivors alive.  I haven’t read the mini-series, but the story is pretty exceptional, although, the vampires are more fleshed out in the comics than they are in the film.  I certainly would have loved to have learned more about them and their leader, Marlow.  But as it stands, the film is pretty effective on its own.

The vampires in 30 Days of Night are unlike any other vampires that I’ve seen in other movies.  They are as different from Dracula as they are from the ones in From Dusk Till Dawn.  They aren’t particularly supernatural, but they are very animalistic, which makes them far more brutal and vicious than any other vampire in film or literature.  Their mouths resemble more of that of a shark’s, with all of their teeth being razor sharp.  The way they move in this film resembles more of a beast than a man.  The way they communicate with each other is also interesting.  There is a spoken language, but the communication is done through body language and screeches  There’s no shape-shifting or turning into mist here.  This strikes me more of a realistic version of vampires, if they were real.  These guys are not nice.  They are evil.  The lead vampire, Marlow, is played by Danny Huston, who turns in an incredibly electric performance as the vampire leader.  On the human side of the equation, we have Josh Hartnett who plays the town’s sheriff, Eben Oleson.  Josh is an incredibly underrated actor, and it’s a shame that he’s not really getting the attention he deserves.  He plays character that are fairly likable and Sheriff Oleson is one of them.  Melissa George plays Stella, Eben’s wife.  She definitely holds her own with Hartnett.  Ben Foster kind of steals the show at times as The Stranger, the guy who brings the vampires to Barrow.  Ben Foster has quickly become one of my favorite actors.  He really gets into the heads of the characters that he plays, and he’s willing to go dark places to make sure those characters are authentic.  Overall, the acting is fantastic.

What really stands out about 30 Days of Night is where the film is set.  The film wasn’t shot on location in Barrow, as the town itself doesn’t actually lend itself to the bleak nature of the film, so the movie was filmed in New Zealand.  That being said, I did a little bit of research into Barrow, Alaska before starting the film.  Barrow is one of the most isolated towns in the United States.  There are literally no roads that go into Barrow.  The only way you can get there is by plane.  It is almost literally at the top of the world at the very northern edge of Alaska.  As a result, the town does experience what is called a polar night.  It’s a phenomenon that only happens in the northern and southernmost reaches of the world.  It only happens in the polar circles.  Basically, the sun goes down for about 65 days, starting at the end of November, and going until towards the end of January.  That’s two months of perpetual night.  That makes for an incredibly isolated and spooky experience, as there is literally no help for over 100 miles, if they get cut off.  That’s what happens in 30 Days of Night.  It was a very brilliant idea to set the story in this part of the world.  If I was a vampire, I would take advantage of that phenomenon.

The effects are mostly practical, even though there are some CGI shots here and there, and there’s definitely some green screen going on, but it’s done in such a way that makes the film feel even more isolated.  The film is definitely violent and extremely bloody, which makes sense for a vampire movie.  When the action hits, it’s brutal as the vampires show absolutely no mercy.  Shortly after the lights go out, the vampires basically slaughter everyone in sight in one of the most harrowing scenes I’ve seen in a movie of this sort.  After that scene, the film takes on a kind of cat-and-mouse kind of feel, as the survivors are trying to avoid fighting these creatures, because the only way you can kill them is by taking their heads off or letting the sun take them out.  Considering the town is covered in darkness for 30 days, the sun’s not really an option, but Eben does use a UV lamp to his advantage.  Even though the film does slow down at times, almost unbearably so, it still has that tension that you need to have for a horror movie.  The pacing of the film is pretty much my only real gripe with the film.  Outside of that, it’s an incredibly bleak, yet fun vampire film that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.  It’s highly recommended.

My Final Recommendation: Don’t visit Barrow, Alaska at the end of the year.  Vampires may be afoot.  9/10