A grim sense of gallows humor

Film review: Sundo

MANILA, Philippines - The latest from Topel Lee, Sundo, again showcases his mastery of the horror genre; and how there’s a unique cinematic vision at play whenever he directs. Dilim, Ouija, and his work on the Shake Rattle & Roll series are already landmarks in his career, and Sundo is an accomplished piece of movie-making. A GMA Films release, Sundo basically plays on the premise that as one approaches death, someone who has passed away and was close to said near-death person, appears and acts as the one who will help accompany the person to the after-life. Often happening against the will of the person close to death, this sets up strong possibilities in terms of how one can anticipate, avoid, recoil from, or fight one’s fate.

Robin Padilla is Roman, a war veteran, with entangled family issues. Comatose after surviving a military encounter, he now finds his “third eye” open, seeing all the sundos who come for the people around him. There’s his blind sister, Isabel (Rhian Ramos), a dear friend Louella (played by Sunshine Dizon), and Baste (Mark Bautista). Heading to Manila from Baguio, they pick up a bit actress (Katrina Halili), and are accompanied by neighbors attending a wake in Manila (Hero Angeles and Glydel Mercado). Of course, things go bump in the night, and Roman is assaulted by visions of those who would pick up all those accompanying him down to Manila. Why all these people would be cursed to expire within days of each other is never satisfactorily explained, but it is the visual elements of the film that show Topel at the height of his skills.

Kudos to the cinematographer and Topel, as throughout the film, a somber, sinister, dark mood is maintained. Bright, vivid colors are bled out, and whether it be daytime or night-time, a visible pallor suffuses the film with malevolence and a stifling atmosphere. And as can be expected in any Topel film, there’s also a grim sense of gallows humor — witness how right after one of the characters dies by electrocution, a plate of sizzling sisig introduces the next scene. Robin plays it straight up as a grim, confused character, while Rhian, Katrina and Sunshine all essay their roles with precision. There’s an introductory sequence that has Topel favorite Iza Calzado making a cameo appearance. What the film lacks in terms of storyline and really unexpected plot developments (at one point we are just waiting for one character after another to meet his or her death), is more than made up with the sustained mood and sense of timing Topel provides to keep us on the edge of our seats. In a way, this is Topel’s The Sixth Sense film, where death plays its little tricks on us mortals, and things are never what they seem when it’s time to bring the film to a close.