As the time of one's death nears, it is believed that the ghost of a familiar person will come fetch you to help you cross over to the next world. This concept of having a pre-destined "sundo" is not unique to the Philippines so it's not surprising that this has been explored by many other horror films in the past.

The concept of Death chasing after its victims is also a theme that is often portrayed in films such as Final Destination (2000), a movie that shows how students on a field trip escaped Death when they failed to board their airplane. However, the Grim Reaper still managed to cut short their lives.

Despite the similarity of Sundo with Final Destination, this local film is no mere copycat. It adds Pinoy flavor to a horror film that has been graded B by the Cinema Evaluation Board.

Produced by GMA Films, this is Topel Lee's second full-length feature film after he helmed the 2007 horror flick Ouija.

THE PLOT. Sundo shows how seven passengers of a van narrowly escaped Death through the supernatural gift of Gary (Robin Padilla). However, Death does not let go of them easily. Before the death of an ill-fated passenger, Gary is able to see the "sundo," which serves as a warning for the next person to die. With his gift, will Gary be able to figure out a way to cheat Death once more?

THE VERDICT. There is no doubt that Sundo is tailor-fit for Robin. The opening war scene alone, which lasted for only a few moments, essentially captured the trauma and horrors of a gunfight. An insider from the movie's production revealed that Robin was so enthusiastic about the war scene that he was even willing to shoot in Mindanao just to establish its authenticity.

Throughout the film, Robin's character remains stoic and unfazed by the supernatural events happening around him. With his confident swagger and determination to outcheat malevolent spirits, Robin is definitely a good ally to have on your side when it comes to life-and-death situations.

By using Dolby 5.1 sound technology, Direk Topel is able to achieve an eerie atmosphere through his music and sound effects alone. One moviegoer tried closing her eyes during the scary parts but what she heard was enough to elicit shrieks even though she could not see what was happening.

Speaking of sight, one flaw in the film involves Isabel (played by Rhian Ramos), the blind sister of Gary. Towards the end of the film, she is left alone in a room when a spirit suddenly comes face-to-face with her. Even though she is visually impaired, she jumps back in horror at the sight of the ghost. It could have probably been more effective if the ghost had grabbed her hand instead.

If there's one scene that is very similar to Final Destination, it would be the gruesome way that Lumeng (played by Glydel Mercado) died in the film. While watching her die, one couldn't help but recall how a guy died in Final Destination when emergency stairs landed smack on his face.

Yet despite these flaws, Sundo offers a solid story, terrifying effects, and a chance to see Robin Padilla on the big screen as he faces the most mysterious foe of mankind: Death.

Direk Topel deserves a thumbs up for his innovative way of visually interpreting the need for a specific "sundo" for each person. When you see the ending, everything falls into place-right where they should be.

Sundo, which is now showing in cinemas nationwide, is rated PG 13 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.





Trailer courtesy of GMA Films