Are you scared of kulam?
Such Filipino folklore has been part of Pinoy culture for several centuries now, and there are probably thousands and thousands of kulam-related stories which circulated. But they are not as vivid and uncanny as Regal Entertainment's Mag-ingat ka sa...Kulam.
I got the chance to watch the premiere of this horror flick top billed by Judy Ann Santos, and believe me, I seldom blinked.
The story began with a car accident involving the main character, Mira (Judy Ann). When she regained her consciousness, she was never the same. It did not help that she suffered from post-traumatic amnesia, so everything was hazy to her.
The moment she and husband Paul (Dennis Trillo) returned to their house, Mira began undraping some details about her old self. She was a busy real estate broker. She was not a nurturing mom to her blind daughter Sophie (Sharlene San Pedro). She was unhappy with her marriage, and Dennis had another woman. She also had an affair with her colleague Dave (TJ Trinidad).
She didn't like what she found out, so she became resolute in rectifying things—especially her marriage and relationship with daughter—and in getting her memory back.
But in the process, she unearthed a secret about her past: She belonged to a family of mangkukulam. From here, unimaginable things happened.
THINGS TO NOTE:
1. One thing about the movie is that it successfully sustained the momentum from end to finish. Most scenes are thought-provoking, if not spine-chilling. Why does she keep on dreaming or imagining blood with strands of hair on the wall?
Of course, the title already implied that the visual cues had something to do with kulam, but what does that represent?
2. The twists to the story defy the convention. It is quite hard to predict what will happen next. Story telling is not faultless, but it is definitely gripping and hair-rising.
It was such a great coincidence that Mira's video would be spotted by Dennis at such an opportune moment. It was too cliché to use a Sadako look-alike ghost emerging from water-filled bath tub, or giving the insinuation that she's lurking somewhere in the aparador. It was quite unbelievable that the characters would face the ghost, instead of run away from her.
But the store room scene of Juday was really scary. Dennis's webcam encounter with the ghost had nearly everyone in the theater screaming. The kid's video grab was blood curling. So if a moviegoer would claim, "Muntik na akong atakehin," it would not be an exaggeration.
3. The sound effect is really good and usually on-cue. It has effectively set the mood for each crucial scene, and scared the crowd.
4. The movie also has several "first-seen" visual and animation effects that have not been done in any Pinoy horror film.
Most notable of which was the way the ghost vanished (or dissolved into ashes). The treatment could rival Storm's ascension in X-men or any Pinoy fantaserye.
5. Juday, is of course, the biggest asset of the movie. She has effortlessly given distinction to the two characters she played. This film reaffirms her versatility as an actress—she can do comedy, drama, and horror. Her wardrobe is also commendable.
Dennis is also good. His role is not much of a challenge, but he portrays it with depth.
The revelation in the movie: TJ Trinidad. His few scenes require him to assimilate a disturbed character, and his delivery is impressive.
VERDICT. The overall impact of Kulam is more than satisfactory. It has remarkably delivered its intent: To scare the viewers. It's the movie to beat in Pinoy horror film genre.
And if somebody asks me, are you afraid of kulam? I will have a ready answer with matching scream: Yes!!!