Ligalig from CM Films is a thriller and whodunit movie that will challenge viewers.
Husband and wife Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz take a hands-on approach in producing Ligalig. Cesar serves as producer, director, screenwriter, and actor in this CM Films' Metro Manila Film Fest entry, while Sunshine doubles as actress and line producer. Ligalig also marks the comeback of Sunshine to the big screen after an almost nine-year absence from filmmaking.
LIGALIG
Cast: Cesar Montano, Sunshine Cruz, Celia Rodriguez, Johnny Delgado, John Regala, Rebecca Lusterio, Gwen Garci, Katya Santos, Monsour del Rosario, Bayani Agbayani, Nonie Buencamino, Rommel Montano, and Alvin Anson.
Writer & Director: Cesar Montano
Production: CM Films
Plot: A series of killings takes place in a seemingly quiet town. Junior (Cesar), a taxi driver, is aware of the killings, but these don't seem to bother him. He's focused on his new relationship with Trixie (Sunshine), a nurse. Little does Junior know that the serial killer will hit close to home. Cesar says, "Lahat may sayad...Yung buong istorya, talagang ‘pag sinimulan mo, hindi nawawala ‘yung danger. Parang anytime something wrong is going to happen."
Box-Office Potential: In a year when fantasy and horror films are aplenty, the male populace will still be divided between the suspense-thriller Ligalig and the only action film in this year's roster, Tatlong Baraha. We place our bet on Cesar's movie.
Awards Prediction: Cesar has proven that he is not only a very good actor but also an effective director—his Panaghoy Sa Suba, an entry in the 2004 MMFF-P, won numerous awards. Rated A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), this is a potential winner. Cesar's only major competition for the best-actor plum is Rustom Padilla who plays a gay role. Celia Rodriguez and Johnny Delagado play their characters over the top, which some jurors might find attractive for the best supporting acting categories.
PEP reviews Ligalig
The plot. It's ironic to think that in a season of festivities, one should feel anxious and terrified by Cesar Montano's entry for the 2006 Metro Manila Film Festival—Ligalig.
The film is a psychological suspense-thriller that revolves around taxi driver Junior (Cesar), how he struggles with the memory of his late father, and how this greatly affects his state of mind.
The movie starts off with a mysterious killer (Johnny Delgado) murdering a prostitute and her client. After that, the story goes follows Junior being invited to the house of his girlfriend (Sunshine Cruz) to meet her "strange" family-her mother (Celia Rodriguez) who carries a loaded shotgun to go after both human and animal intruders; and her siblings: an adopted sister (Rebecca Lusterio), who feels imprisoned in the home of their mother, and a brother (John Regala), an ex-marine with an "admirable" hobby of collecting firearms. The murderer suddenly shows up at the girlfriend's house, and the mayhem begins.
The verdict. A few minutes into the movie, it might seem obvious to the viewer who the real killer is, but Ligalig will leave you guessing as to what the true motive of the killer is.
However, there are some scenes that would really make the audience grip their seats. For instance, the entire sequence where the murderer starts to kill the family members one by one is a truly gruesome affair that only morbid people can endure watching.
To avoid overdoing it, Cesar inserted some diversions, like Bayani Agbayani's brand of comedy and John's weird soldier-infested way of thinking. Viewers will also love seeing Celia's character transform from being a bossy, shotgun-toting mom to a pathetic victim of her own tool of terror. Johnny has this powerful presence on-screen, maniac-looking with blood-shot eyes. Sunshine looked genuinely terrified, and fear was obviously etched on her face, particularly during the scene when she's hiding under a bed trying to maintain silence as the murderer walks around the room.
Cesar, of course, is the highlight of the movie, covering up his narrative shortcomings with his acting prowess, clearly giving one of his best performances as an actor. After all, he did direct, co-write, star, and produce this film.
On the technical side of things, Cesar used way too much technical gimmickry such as the screen buzz and jiggle that looked like it was taken out of Hollywood's Saw, and the car sequences where the camera (on cue) would start moving around during conversations. It looks nice at first, but it becomes repetitive (and annoying) in later scenes. The only practical explanation for those showy camera angles would be to detail the blue screen technology that was used for those scenes.
On a lighter note, the sounds and music used in the film can really set the mood for anxiety and lead the viewers towards a conclusion that they wouldn't expect.
Overall, Ligalig shows little promise. However, in a filmfest with other entries lacking in originality and story concept, one would think that maybe Cesar might just nail the Best Screenplay award.