With a lead character loosely based on the Philippines’ first ever documented serial killer, Mentorque Productions and Warner Brothers Pictures entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, Mallari, manages to both fascinate and thrill audiences at the same time with its multiple protagonists (and antagonist) living in various timelines, all confidently played by lead star Piolo Pascual.

Modern day Piolo is a doctor named Jonathan Mallari, 1940’s Piolo is a documentarian named John Rey Mallari, while the 1840s Piolo is a humble parish priest Severino Mallari. 

In the story, Dr. Jonathan Mallari returns to his family’s ancestral home in the province before it is set to be sold, in the hopes of finding the answer to a persistent and disturbing dream about himself and his fiancée (played by Janella Salvador). He is also  accompanied there by another character who has been loyal to him all his life, a deacon named Lucas (played by JC Santos). Throughout their stay, mysterious crimes and events start happening and Jonathan discovers that there is more to the old house than just dusty furniture and religious relics. 

From the first minute up to the last in the movie's one hour-and-52-minute run, expect Mallari to deliver edge-of-your-seat thrills without going overboard. Although it sometimes employs jump scares and leading mood music, director Derick Cabrido still keeps it classy with impressive visuals and an extra solid storyline that even with some R-13 rated violence and gore, will still keep you wanting to watch more. If you think you’ve seen everything there is to see and expect from a Pinoy horror film, then prepare to be proven very wrong with Mallari. 

Another noteworthy factor to this undeniable MMFF contender for Best Picture is the casting, from the lead stars down to the one-scene appearances, everyone delivered marked performances. JC Santos, Gloria Diaz, Janella Salvador, snd Elisse Joson were all convincing and dedicated to their roles, but equally impressive despite their short screen screen time were theater veteran Bart Guingona and Mylene Dizon, as well as the other support cast members. And last but not the least, Piolo Pascual once again proves why he’s still on top of his game even in his very first horror film as he manages to bring to life not just three but four distinct variations of himself, all played so deliciously well onscreen. 

What with all the 10 exciting  MMFF entries to choose from this year, Mallari definitely deserves a spot in your top three must-watch films list because of three factors.

One, not only is it visually satisfying to watch, it has a storyline that will not leave you hanging with any major loose ends. Two, The stellar acting from the entire cast makes them all so entertaining to watch and even possibly notable contenders for the MMFF awards night. And last but not the least, if you’re someone who’s already given up on watching local horror films, this film won’t even have to try too hard to win you over because Mallari will put your faith back in what it means to be afraid while still being entertained.