MMFF Review: ‘Uninvited’ a brutal watch about injustice, vengeance

MMFF 2024 entry “Uninvited” official poster | Contributed photo

Trigger warning: mentions of rape, sexual assault, murder

From the get-go, the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2024 entry, “Uninvited,” is an emotional battleground that aims to explore all the disturbing themes that can happen in a community, from murders and sexual assaults to the rich getting way with their crimes. This film is visibly a tough movie in spots as everything is heightened to get on the viewers’ nerves.

The story centers on a grieving mother, Lilia, aka Eva Candelaria (Vilma Santos), and her relentless pursuit of justice for her daughter, Lily (Gabby Padilla), who is brutally murdered and sexually assaulted by billionaire Guilly (Aga Muhlach). 

After more than 50 years in the industry, Santos refuses to demote her star status. The Star for All Seasons doesn’t just act; she embodies every emotion. In “Uninvited,” Santos becomes a vision of torment as a mother robbed of her child. Lily represents purity and innocence, while its derivative Lilia symbolizes rebirth and, sometimes, “night” or darkness. After seeing Lily’s light dim, we witness Lilia’s quest for justice and her transition to becoming Eva, the giver of life, except that in this film, she is the taker, snatching them away one by one with seeming poetry. We could literally hear the collective sigh of relief and heave of satisfaction every time one villain falls, providing the viewers with their much-needed catharsis before they file out of the cinema.

Santos’ performance elevates the ordinary material into a heartbreaking narrative. Every tremor in her voice, every tear shed stab at the heart of the viewers as if they had been right smack in that very scene, and could literally feel her grief behind the screen. Now this is hardly novel for the veteran artist who has done other slasher films, such as the critically acclaimed “Tagos ang Dugo,” but “Uninvited” allows one to see Santos in a new light.  

At the movie’s world premiere last December 23, Santos was emotional when she said, “A mother will do anything and everything for her child. Mayroong shadow dito ng lipunan natin.” Indeed, a mother cannot insulate her child from the world, but beware a mother who lost her child to injustice and abuse.

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Aga Muhlach, Vilma Santos and Nadine Luste — at the gold carpet premier of “Uninvited,” an entry to the MMFF 2024. Image from Mentorque Production / “Uninvited”

Aga Muhlach sheds good boy image

In “Uninvited,” Muhlach steps away from his good boy image and demonstrate, as he always has, the depth of his artistic talent.

As the main villain, Muhlach dishes equal parts danger and excitement in such a natural way that is almost unbearable to watch. After all, this matinee idol grew up almost before our eyes to become a beloved character in all his films. His character as Guilly Vega is beguiling — a patron for a church foundation, at the same time, a sinister leader of a criminal organization. It’s a sight to see him transform into a monster before one’s eye.

His nuanced portrayal deserves at the very least a best actor nomination at the MMFF, as we are sure his onscreen villainy would earn the wrath of viewers, the mob boss who does not even seek redemption.

The supporting cast, Padilla, Elijah Canlas, and Mylene Dizon also enhance the film’s emotional weight with their heartbreaking performances. The vulnerability of Padilla’s Lily, the enigmatic personality of Nadine Lustre’s Nicole, the comeuppance of the characters of henchmen Ketchup Eusebio and Cholo Barretto all add layers of complexity to the narrative. The role of each character feels fully realized, painting a wider picture of a world that shows that the accomplices and bystanders are just as wicked as the main perpetrator.

However, “Uninvited” isn’t without its flaws. While the film’s emotional impact is clear, it misses an opportunity to delve deeper into the motivations of its characters, and the broader societal implications of the crime are left underexplored. There are also some instances where one might feel the sense of rush in between the scenes, like the production is trying to put everything all at once.

Despite this shortcoming, the film still delivers a gut-wrenching story that raises difficult questions about vengeance, morality and the price of sin. It is brave enough to tackle the uncomfortable truth about all the wrongdoings rampant in the world and how people are often capable of doing the unspeakable things in pursuit of justice.

Even if it leaves a few unanswered questions in its wake, “Uninvited” is a raw examination of the inherent darkness that can exist within humanity. From the beginning, the intention of the film is to send out the message that sometimes one’s silver lining can be had when justice is served, and one just has to take action to achieve that.