Uninvited

It's the most satisfying entry I've seen so far. This cinematic gem, being the first in the country to use the custom-built Cooke Anamorphic Full Frame Special Flare lenses, which is commonly used by Hollywood productions.

The cast?

Vilma Santos-Recto delivers the best performance of her career and it's a travesty that she didn't even get nominated for Best Actress. Aga Muhlach is the man you will love to hate! A different Aga Muhlach! And Nadine Lustre slays despite her limited role. The whole movie is not complete without her.

'Uninvited' is a genuinely must-see, solid revenge-thriller. I'm hoping for a sequel.

Uninvited is undeniably a campy affair, but it's at least enjoyably so. So satisfying is the idea of watching Ate Vi take out a group of disposable villainous archetypes half her age that you can almost forgive the movie for being so predictable. Almost.

Dan Villegas' revenge flick revolves around Eva Candelaria (Vilma Santos), a mysterious woman who arrives at the birthday party of a wealthy man, Guilly (Aga Muhlach), who, a decade earlier, murdered her daughter. Eva has come to settle the score and exact her revenge.

While the premise holds promise, the film struggles to deliver a satisfying payoff. Dodo Dayao's script takes its time establishing Eva's vendetta, but all this buildup to the climactic party confrontation feels drawn out and, unfortunately, predictable. The stakes are never fully heightened, and what should be a cathartic moment of reckoning instead falls flat due to a lack of tension and urgency. The action itself lacks finesse, and the film's resolution feels as though it's simply going through the motions, leaving little room for emotional payoff.

Despite its narrative missteps, Uninvited is still worth watching, thanks in large part to the performances of Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach. Santos fully embodies the vengeful mother turned vigilante, imbuing Eva with both strength and vulnerability, making her journey compelling even when the script falters. On the other hand, Muhlach relishes his role as the over-the-top villain, bringing a sense of glee to his character's evil deeds. Their chemistry and contrasting performances, while limited to the climax, inject some much-needed energy into the film.

While the movie stumbles to deliver the impact it promises, Uninvited still earns a seat at the table, thanks to the commanding performance of its leads, even as the material around them fizzles out. It may not be the must-see event in theaters it aspires to be, but it's definitely a fun watch for a streaming session.

Uninvited had all the ingredients for a chilling thriller, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat. The lead character was unconvincing and felt unconvincing, relying heavily on excessive profanity instead of depth or emotional nuance. The casting was simply off. The character came across as more performative than believable, which broke the immersion completely.

One of the biggest missed opportunities was the ending. It felt unresolved. At the very least, the film could've shown the victims' IDs or photos being found in Vega's house to bring some closure and justice to the storyline. Without it, the payoff is hollow.

And what about the daughter? Her character arc felt forgotten. I kept waiting to see what she did next, what impact she had on the final outcome, but it was left vague and incomplete. For a film centered around tension and survival, the emotional payoff was missing entirely. The emotional weight of the film, the fear, the grief, the trauma, was barely there. It lacked the kind of layered performances that make you feel for the victims and fear the villain. The villain is not convincing. A thriller without emotional stakes is just noise, and sadly, that's what much of this movie turned into.

This could have been a powerful, unsettling film - but it needed better casting, more restraint with the script, and a far more thoughtful ending.

A seethe-drenched drama of vengeance and redemption, "Uninvited" explores the well-worn story of crime, retribution and justice attained. Set in modern day Metro Manila, the film focuses its unwavering lens on a birthday party held at night by a local billionaire in his mansion attended by sycophantic guests, his trusted thugs and his long-suffering dysfunctional family. With a genteel and serene air of faded twilight and nocturnal clarity evoking a period pre-war vibe, scene after scene paves way for a solitary aged woman mingling in the gathering hell bent on revenge.

With a star-studded cast of Vilma Santos-Recto, Aga Muhlach and Nadine Lustre leading the helm the film shines with brimming intensity. Santos-Recto is fine as the wronged and bereaved mother with facial enhancement plumping and diminishing that once cute and buoyant visage. The overweight yet still boyish-looking Aga Muhlach delivers as the unhinged criminally multitasking tycoon while sexy and exotic 'though less appealing Nadine Lustre is quite there portraying the abused and broken yet conscience maintaining poor rich girl. Good direction, an able supporting cast and the taut, bile-spitooned script provide a panorama of real life and the underworld with the nefarious characters, vulgar-ridden Filipino and English language hybrid ("Taglish"), brutalized victims and rage-filled beatings and deaths where every stab is the equivalent of a parent's hate fuelled by the death and violation of a child.

A simple yet effectively shown tale of evil and its price mitigated by the leveling power of righteous justice, "Uninvited" shows and proves the maturity and quality of contemporary Philippine cinema and the long way it has come from its crude and limited origins. See this.

"Uninvited" is surprisingly disturbing for a mainstream film. This movie one of the best Filipino Rape Revenge ever! The film is about a mother who avenges her daughter from a wealthy merciless man. I don't have any complaints about this movie as this film is solid from start to finish. The cast are intense and it feels like they are racing each other when it comes to the acting department so everyone stands out. Aga Mulach is brilliant as a merciless villain. Vilma Santos is perfectly portrayed in her role as brilliant! Even Nadine Lustre, I won't spoil her character but she brilliantly justifies her role. The direction is at best. The one night moment setting works! The costumes are topnotch and elegant together with cinematography.

Overall, "Uninvited" is an instant classic Filipino movie! The name Eva Candelaria will soon become Vilma Santos' one of her iconic roles. The film is never afraid to go darker and brutally intense. This is definitely a must see Filipino movie this year!