When I went to see Pee Mak at the cinema, I was not aware that it is based on Thailand’s highest-grossing film of all time. The Filipino adaptation, directed by Victor Villanueva, follows the original film’s story structure but translates the humor into a style of Filipino slapstick reminiscent of the ’80s comedy of Dolphy comedies, while infusing cultural folklore and making full use of its setting.
Pee Mak follows the story of Mak (Wilbert Ross), a soldier in the heat of battle who returns home with his four friends – Pok (TJ Valderrama), Ayong (Jairus Aquino), Bunak (Gian Bernardino), and their commanding officer Teryo (Vandolph) – only to find something eerie with his wife and newborn child. What he doesn’t know, though shown as the film begins, is that his wife, Pee Nang (Bea Binene), perished during childbirth. While Mak is overjoyed to reunited with his family, his four friends quickly grow suspicious of Pee Nang’s true intentions.
For a film that places Wilbert Ross as one of its lead stars, Pee Mak focuses far more on the four friends and their comical hijinks as they try to determine whether Pee Nang is alive or a ghost. The movie feels more gag-centered than it does as a cohesive story, taking narrative shortcuts to reach its emotional core. Having not seen the original, I wonder if this structure stayed true to the Thai version, but it leaves film feeling very unserious, especially considering it actually has quite a lot to say about family, friendship, and moving on.
With the script’s focus on the funny moments of the friends dealing with the hauntings of Pee Nang, Valderrama, Aquino, Bernardino, and Vandolph seem to be doing most of the heavy lifting. Ross, for three-quarters of the movie, plays a fool who is hopelessly in love with his wife, regardless of how strangely she behaves. It’s mined for its comic potential, but it quickly loses its effect. It doesn’t give him much to do for most of the film, leaving the final act as the only section that allows him to show any real range.
On the flip-side, while Valderrama and Aquino get to have fun, it is Vandolph, showing off his deep experience with this genre who truly stands out. Bernardino’s commitment to the role is also a breath of fresh air; he has a natural comedic timing that works so well on screen, making this a great debut for his first full-length feature. There is an organic, very natural sense of performance from both Vandolph and Bernardino that grounds their comedy amidst the over-the-top, absurd tone the film takes.
In fact, Villanueva leans into the slapstick and punchy joke delivery Pee Mak that it really feels like a tribute or homage to classic comedies. Unfortunately, some of the jokes don’t quite hit as hard as they should, if not due to the performances, then through the sheer relentlessness of it all. The characters aren’t fully fleshed out and tend to become caricatures, so the comedy has a tendency to become impersonal.
The film then twists in the final act to reveal a plot point explored through a montage and a long exposition that kills the film’s momentum. Fortunately, it gives Ross and Binene a chance to show more of their range and humanize their characters, but it comes a little too late in the story. Perhaps if this last-act twist had been the central conflict from the start, the film might have felt more grounded.
My Rating: 2.5 Stars
Is Pee Nang really a ghost, or are four frantic friends just losing their minds? If you’re ready for non-stop ’80s-style slapstick, ghostly hauntings, and laugh-out-loud hijinks in this local version of the hit Thai comedy, gather your barkada, check Pee Mak showtimes near you and buy your ticket now!
