BuyBust

I'll start with something I noticed as a complaint in other reviews: the camera. And yes, mainly in the first half, where all the action is so to say starting, it is a bit crappy, but still not that bad as you can see it in some Hollywood blockbusters. For me, the sound is a bigger problem, especially when it comes to the speech - too low. Anyway, the actors are fine, it isn't something that requires a master acting skills, but anyway, a crappy actor can turn a good movie into a bad one. As far as it goes for the fighting scenes - average, don't expect something like Iko Uwais, Tony Jaa or Scott Adkins.

The idea for the movie is fine, it's just the overall release could have been better done, just a bit more. But for the type of movies that this one is, I still find it good enough, yet not among the best ones as it is similar to The Raid: Redemption, but not at its level.

Excellent little low budget action flick out of SEA that's heavy on the octane and light on the social commentary. Obvious digitization of effects and several choreographed fight sequences that are improperly filmed (angles reveal punches not landing and lack of actual strength going into strikes, so some of the melee shots look more like limp noodle fights lol) amid a script that has its fair share of hackneyed dialogue is ultimately the straw that breaks BuyBust's back and prevents it from standing tall against the more well-known genre greats. Despite the film's obvious budgetary constraints and seemingly novice continuity errors, it's still a fantastic piece of low budget cinema that is definitely worth watching for fans of foreign crime/action drama.

Maniga is one attractive pinay with an athletic build and a fiery temperament--the result of an angst-riddled mindset molded by previous career-related trauma--that fits the character of her lead role perfectly. Supporting cast is largely forgettable aside from a very select few figures, like the Dwayne Johnson/Dave Bautista pinoy clone with the bottlecap charm that plays her main partner throughout a majority of the movie. Apart from the cast, the insanely claustrophic corridors of the Gracia favela that BuyBust takes place in helps immensely with ratcheting up the movie's tension and is partially reminiscent of the famous elevator/hallway scene from 2003's "Oldboy." The hordes of pissed off civilians killing both gangster and cop alike also add to Maniga's predicament and helps keep the movie's primary nemesis (Biggie Chen) from getting too stale or annoying to tolerate. It's a fresh rotating marquee of danger from all angles for Maniga and her squad and it helps the audience commiserate with the sense of helplessness that permeates the length of the movie as night turns to day in Maniga's odyssey into a drug-fueled inferno as she fights tooth and nail to stay alive.

If you like Korean action flicks like Man From Nowhere or Indonesian action flicks like The Night Comes For Us or better yet, Vietnam's "Furie," you will definitely get a kick or two out of BuyBust and should watch it on Netflix at least once.

A solid 6/10!

My favourite Action Movie of This year. Fantastic action and fighting sequences. It's up with the raid films. I must watch. 7/10

Imitating the basic storyline of "The Raid" does not give you a good movie and this is the best example of that.

First let's have a look at the good aspects of it: 1. Pictures, Scenes, Camera are well done. Especially the 3 min one-shot action scene almost at the end is a highlight. 2. Brandon Vera did a good job, not only in martial art (he has MMA background), but also the best acting in the cast. 3. Gore scenes are splendidly done

Bad (everything else): 1. The build-up of the movie takes far too long, 30 min+ for introduction, walking talking non-essential. 2. The whole movie feels like it wants to waste time in general where the director did not know how to squeeze more time out of it. Chase, wait, walking scenes take too long. 3. The main cast (Anne Curtis) has not prepared enough for this flick. Her character is a drug agent with gun skills, yet she chooses to use hand-combat (which looks staged) against muscled up men. Holds a gun in front of enemies so close you can already punch it away. She ties her hair only half into the movie, just to look cool in the first half. Her acting is wooden (expressionless face), has no charisma and general non-leading behavior. Is able to unrealistically beat a whole mob with hand to hand combat and escapes miraculously. She steps up when needed, but thats about it. I would have preferred Brandon Vera being the lead and she is the sidekick. 4. Story: look, when you make a movie, the story should not be explainable within 3 sentences. There happens to be a twist but its not really that hard of a shocker. 5. Civilians: Since when are civilians running towards gun and like to get slaugthered. Since when are civilians fighting the police? This is just nonsense and made up to have more gunfood. Mindless contribution.

The whole movie is essentially just a gore-heavy flick with a lot of waiting and chasing (especially in the beginning). Nobody has any special skills except Brandon Vera, so this movie has nothing how it can separate itself from other movies. I don't recommend watching this movie as it is like a senseless slaughter and little to no-fun lines. Non-memorable

This movie has a lot of action. I enjoyed watching it. I recommend watching this movie.