Bob Ong is the pseudonym of a Filipino author (he claims he’s not of Chinese descent) whose works became popular titles in the last two decades or so.
Two of his books had previously made the excursion to the big screen. The first one was ABNKKBSNPLAko?! in 2014, which starred Jericho Rosales, Andi Eigenmann, and Meg Imperial. And then, there was Lumayo Ka nga sa Akin that also became a movie in 2016. It featured Maricel Soriano, Herbert Bautista, and Cristine Reyes.
Another one of his works got caught by the pandemic on the way to being turned into a film and had to be put on hold during the lock-down. This is the horror-suspense Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan.
So many changes took place from the start of the filming to this hopefully post-COVID era. One sad reality is the lackadaisical performance of local movies at the box-office – as proven by that failed Metro Manila Film Festival summer edition.
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, now a movie, therefore will stream on the internet instead of being exhibited in cinemas, which had seen dismal attendance even before the pandemic. Among the reasons Pinoys shun movie houses, aside from safety concerns, are the exorbitant admission fees which are no longer affordable to majority of Filipinos. Today’s practical Pinoys would rather spend their money eating at fast foods rather than blowing it away on a movie ticket.
And so, those who want to watch Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, the movie, will have the chance to view it starting this May 18 on Prime Video. Produced by Regal Entertainment, Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan is a quality film that could have been a huge commercial success on the big screen. Streaming it on Prime Video, however, was a business decision made by new generation Regal boss Roselle Monteverde.
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan is a must-see. It is an excellent film product that carries a message that obviously is timely at any given period.
The book was published by Bob Ong way back in 2010. That early, the literary work already had this prophesy about illnesses that would affect humanity. Quite eerily, COVID-19 came – strangely, while the film production was in progress.
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan is actually a timeless work of art that could stand the test of time. It starts in the scary concrete jungle that is the city.
The film’s lead star, Joshua Garcia, is therefore seen battling life as a poor relation staying with relatives who prove to be indifferent toward him. He is a good boy born into unfortunate circumstances. So, tragically for him, there are horror episodes in every moment of his existence while under the authority of his aunt (Melissa Mendez) and uncle (Ricky Davao), who make a servant out of him.
The scare-fest begins in the early part of the film. But it would be a spoiler to discuss that here.
The honest-to-goodness horror actually takes place when he moves back to his hometown province to attend the wake of his father, with whom he was estranged. In his family’s crumbling ancestral home, he is reunited with his grandmother, played by Angie Ferro.
It is while in the company of this old woman that he encounters bizarre out-of-this-world behavior from his grandma and her friends – yes “ang mga kaibigan ni Mama Susan.”
Directed by Chito Roño, Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan works as a horror film primarily because of the technical elements. First, there is the cinematography.
Stressing the contrast between the photography in the city setting and that one in the province shouldn’t be a complex job for the cinematographer. But layering the shots in the ancestral home and its vicinity could be tricky.
Fortunately, the cinematographer succeeds at formulating a tint that works visually well for horror films. The shots are sepia-like that excellently establishes the horror mood of the movie.
Another outstanding technical element in the film is the production design. The old rundown house used in the story is perfect. The production designer though also has to work around the interiors.
It is quite ironic that the very same religious icons Catholics venerate are sometimes a source of fear to some people. A lot of children in particular cower in fear at the images of the suffering Christ in some churches, especially those that depict the Redeemer in dark mahogany.
The production designer of Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan cleverly uses life-sized statues of Christ and other saints to give the film a scary vibe. This may be an act of sacrilege, but, hey, it is effective.
That the collection of religious images in the creepy ancestral home is not well-curated initially proves bothersome to the viewer. But it is explained later that the “santos” are given at random by friends of the family matriarch.
And so, that becomes a plausible explanation. Additional credit should also be given to the production designer, who obviously studied the material first – as should be – prior to filming.
Aside from the technical elements, Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan also succeeds due to the notable performances of Joshua Garcia and Angie Ferro. In the case of Ferro, that shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore given the decades she spent in theater, television and, yes, the movies. Prior to playing the title role of Mama Susan, she also delivered an outstanding performance in Lola Igna that gave her a Gawad Urian nomination.
Joshua Garcia is no stranger among members of the local film critics circle either. He already received an Urian nomination for his exceptional performance in the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Vince & Kath & James, which is a modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.
Although he gets excellent support from Angie Ferro and the rest of the cast members, Joshua is basically given the responsibility of valiantly carrying on his shoulders the weight of Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan. Thanks to his obviously innate acting talent and boundless energy, he helps turn this film into a respectable horror movie. Move over, horror queens Kris Aquino and Janice de Belen and make way for horror king Joshua Garcia.
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan also benefits a lot from the inspired direction of Chito Roño, who, of course, is no stranger to horror flicks – having churned out the box-office hits Sukob, The Healing and two editions of Feng Shui in the past.
Given the fine material that is Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, he is able to effortlessly deliver a horror movie that is far more substantial than most other films of this genre. Under Chito Roño’s direction, the movie doesn’t resort to cheap scare tactics so typical of other local horror films.
Yes, the quality of Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan is way above most other Filipino horror movies. In this film, the story tackles even sociopolitical issues – like neglect of government and anarchy in society.
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan is one rare film that combines horror with substance.
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