Sukob

Rating: 4 out of 5
Directed by Chito S. Roño
Starring: Kris
Aquino [Sandy], Claudine Barretto [Diana], Wendell Ramos [Dale],
Bernard Palanca [Bryan], with Boots Anson-Roa, Ronaldo Valdez
Viewed on the big screen

Chito Roño should do more of these kinds of movies because he’s really good at it. He did such a brilliant job with Feng Shui that when I knew he was doing Sukob, watching this new mystery/suspense flick became a no-brainer.

The
thing is, though, I got to watch this flick just today — one month
after it’s release here in the Philippines. I’m probably the last one
to see this. Haha!

Anyway, I must say I like Roño’s storytelling
and directing style here as I did with Feng Shui. He knows how to
effectively build tension between his characters, mystery in his plot
and questions in the mind of his viewers.

One reason why I really dig Sukob is how it initially misdirects a lot of things — like the true identity of Claudine Barretto’s
character and the true nature of the curse — only to turn things to
another direction later on in the film. Some really nice twists here.

Another
reason is finding out what director Chito Roño’s new movie is about.
This one is about a family curse — I don’t know how to explain it in
English [or even in tagalog or bisaya] — that’s just waiting to be
nipped at the roots.

The movie isn’t scary per se [at least not
to me]. But rather, it is mysterious and suspenseful. It plays around
with the mind. It boggles. It confuses. It raises questions. And the
deeper you go into the film the more urgent becomes the need to find
the answers. These are the kinds of movies I love.

There are
some jarring moments, though, and even I, who doesn’t really scare that
easily in the cinemas, let out a scream or two and got jolted during
some shock-inducing scenes.

Kris Aquino has really come a
long way. She’s even better here than she was in Feng Shui. I found her
portrayal of Sandy quite natural and just right for the character.

Also of note, and I think the scene stealer in the film, is Ronaldo Valdez,
who plays Kris’s and Claudine’s father. I loved seeing him give
credibility and believability to his conflicted [and pivotal] role.
He’s great here, so much so that I got teary eyed in his scene with
Claudine towards the end of the film. *Sob, sob, sob.* hehehe

Overall,
I think Sukob is a smart thriller that gives the mentalists and
screamers what they want. I really enjoyed watching it and I won’t have
second thought recommending it to those who haven’t seen it yet.

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I
wanted to write this review in Tagalog but I think my Tagalog
vocabulary isn’t wide enough to articulate my thoughts on the movie. ;o)