Premiering in SM’s Sine Sindak, director Richard Somes delivers an enjoyable Pinoy horror film with lots of jump scares, frightening imagery, and brutal action in his latest film ‘Near Death.’ This is the kind of film that’s best to watch with your friends or family, screaming at the thrills and scares and having a good time this Halloween season.
‘Near Death’ is about Julia (Charlie Dizon), who is revived after she throws herself off her building. She’s a tortured soul with a dark past that led her to committing suicide but she was quickly brought to the hospital and was saved by the doctors there. She recovers back at home where her sister, Mia (Xyriel Manabat), watches over her as does the security guard of her building, Mang Celso (Soliman Cruz), and a neighbour, Aling Salve (Lotlot De Leon). But when Julia was brought back, something came along with her. Visions of a hellish limbo intrudes into her sight, and she can see ghosts who are trying to take her body. While many don’t believe her, most especially Mia, Aling Salve believes in the supernatural and she finds connection with another survivor of suicide, Lucas (RK Bagatsing).
While the screenplay by Somes and Jim Flores is the weakest part of the film – it has a tendency to meander, introduce characters that don’t serve the story (such as Julia’s boyfriend who appears at the start and never is seen again), it leans too heavily on the drama at times – the film finds its footing through Somes’ understanding of the genre and his deftness at crafting the mood and atmosphere that makes the film dark, heavy, and scary.
Somes exploration into the ghost story is very physical and kinetic. His camerawork, lenses by Luis Quirino, is an active agent in creating the set ups for the jump scares and the frightening scenes. Every place is dark, filled with shadows, and editor Jamie Dumancas allows a seamless flow so when things start to turn violent, everything is caught on camera, displaying the brutality of being haunted by ghosts.
‘Near Death’ explores the paranormal consequences of breaking through to the other side. It doesn’t go too deep into the psychosis of these characters but what it wants to portray is how these dark thoughts stay with us, take physical form, and harm us if we don’t try to get help and find some form of redemption from the trauma that holds us down.
Dizon, De Leon, and Cruz are wonderful actors that create a sense of believability to the world. They manage to play out the film’s horror in ways that makes it thrilling and exciting but also imbibe the film with a heart that keeps the film centered on the human aspect of the film’s genre. Manabat, unfortunately, has all the high-drama moments and approaches the character at such a high level that it comes off one-dimensional. It’s high-energy that doesn’t build up and could use a bit of nuance in its delivery. On the other hand, Bagatsing is always a reliable actor, but Lucas is an underwritten character and so while Bagatsing is a good sounding board for Dizon, there’s not much he can do to make the character go beyond that of a plot-device. His own agency doesn’t quite come into play in the film.
Regardless of its flaws, ‘Near Death’ is a perfect Pinoy horror film. Under Somes’ strong direction and production design, the film is visually impactful and has all the trappings of a fun time in the theater. This is a good popcorn movie for the Halloween season.
My Rating:
Near Death is now showing on the big screen. Check showtimes near you.
