With a powerhouse cast, you wouldn’t be wrong to expect a lot from Mentorque Productions’ sophomore offering in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. The production house already made a big splash in the industry last year with their horror film based on the Philippines’ first documented serial killer, Mallari. In Uninvited, they have proven that they continue to set their standards high in director Dan Villegas’s latest psychological thriller.
Technically speaking, the quality of production here is evident in its first scene, showing those with a high appreciation for lighting and photography rewarded with a satisfying opening scene. The story begins with what seems to be a simple day in the life of pretty college student Iris Capistrano (played by Gabby Padilla) and her widowed mom Eva (Vilma Santos) before they part ways and go about their day. But what follows next is a random yet tragic encounter that night that changes Eva’s life forever as she forges on, angered and empowered to seek justice for her daughter’s unfortunate fate.
Fast forward to the night of a high profile private party to celebrate the birthday of filthy rich businessman Guilly Vega (Aga Muhlach), who is surrounded by his stoic wife (Mylene Dizon) and jaded daughter (Nadine Lustre) as well as his equally dirty henchmen (RK Bagatsing, Pocholo Barretto, and Gio Alvarez). Among all the guests, Eva is the only presence with a dark mission in mind.
Vilma plays her role with a perfect mixture of emotion and restraint as a mother who is driven to vengeance powered by sheer pain. Without denying her vulnerable side, she focuses on her goal, no matter the peril that is about to face her. The Star for All Seasons who was hailed as an MMFF Best Actress last year looks like she is gunning for a back-to-back win with her affecting performance in Uninvited.
Nadine’s character as Nicole may seem nonchalant at first, but it looks like the actress definitely had a blast playing the entitled yet chronically disgusted daughter who is privy to her dad’s darker side. Nicole’s lines are almost always bitchy and deliciously delivered, with every snarky dialogue sure to delight both Nadine’s old and new fans alike. Her scenes with her dad Aga are exceptionally entertaining as their private moments slowly reveal more details that make sure to excite and add to the tense vibe present throughout the entire film.
We love that Aga finally decided to show his full range as an actor, by fully embracing a role that will leave the audience shocked and impressed with his unapologetic portrayal of a man with no soul.
While high profile actors do have the power to make or break a film , it would be an injustice to discount the impressive performances throughout the film by the rest of the cast who added more dark and interesting layers to the film. Mylene Dizon is the wife who has given up on her husband, Ketchup Eusebio is a local henchman who is a despicable character you’ll love to hate in every scene, Tirso Cruz III proves that you don’t need to say a lot to command presence in every scene he’s in as the colonel, Elijah Canlas (who plays Gabby Padilla’s boyfriend) suffers a fate that devastates his mom (Lotlot de Leon) in unimaginable ways and therefore adds to the drama and inevitable search for justice that Vilma embarks on.
From start to finish, Uninvited will keep you on your toes with its tense and thrilling scenes. Prepare to be impressed with direk Dan’s complete fleshing out of characters, from their strengths to even their weaknesses, and most importantly, expect to be entertained with a solid storyline that is a visual and auditory feast worthy of making it to become MMFF”s Best Picture this year.
Watch Uninvited in cinemas nationwide starting December 25, Wednesday.