Hubog

The DVD cover of "Hubog" makes it look like an erotic film. It has erotic scenes but this is no "tease movie". It's a hard hitting drama! Even most of the scenes involving naked flesh are not there to erotisize but to shock. "Hubog" deals with a young woman who tries to make a living for herself and her mentally disturbed sister. A series of incidents forces her into a relationship with a brutal man.

This part of the film is powerful. And it works. The same cannot be said of the political aspects of the movie. The whole film is intercut with scenes from demonstrations after the fall of President Estrada. While this is sometimes interesting, I think it doesn't pay off. The final scenes involving the demonstrations come across as stagy and don't work. I don't know what it is exactly, but something just doesn't gel. Also, the coda text is weak.

But those are rather small issues. Overall, it's a gripping drama with strong performances. I'd rate it

7/10