Film Review : Mulat (Awaken)

Mulat is Dianne Ventura's first full-length feature film that was seemingly as mind-blowing as its short counterpart, TheRapist. I mean, both flicks exhibited such themes that every movie-goer will be up for a psychological ride of their respective lives.


The difference is that The Rapist has conveyed the message very well in the sort amount of time. I can't tell exactly the same for the other.  But anyway, I think it's still worth to watch at some point as two of its actors were effective in work after all.

Seeing it the night before its formal commercial run surely gave us a heck of it. Just plain mental twister, but can't say it was executed into perfection. And we're not talking technicality here, because the cinematography was just fitting enough to compliment the message they are trying to convey.

In fact, too much complexity in the plot had driven me nuts for quite some time until realizing their worth somewhere along the way.

Though looking similar on a superficial aspect, but Jake Cuenca has been way different with this portrayal compared to what he usually does in the mainstream film and television shows. Not surprising why he bagged the best actor award in this year's World Cinema Festival held in Brazil for doing his job very well here, especially in depicting the English lines when needed the most.

Loren Burgos as the lead character Sam has been the focal point of the movie. It wasn't the story the makes the characters revolved the most. Instead, it all goes through Sam and her supposedly escapade from toxicity in her previous engagement; but with mental challenges in the process. Not really a revelation, but somewhat natural enough to speak and display your typical woman 'in love.'

And Ryan Eigenmann is unquestionable here. Heck, he was speaking very natural and showing more intensity than any of his two co-leaders combined; simply proving how fine he is as an actor.

Mulat had that interesting concept from start to finish. Heck, it was even unpredictable at one point when the finish turned out way different that I have ever thought. It made everyone's minds running for circles as the picture rolls. But I kinda wish the story rolled in their form, and not just on their characters alone, because that way it compromised the plot's supposedly substance. Well, I think flashback devices went a bit overboard. Still interesting this approach in storytelling by Ventura earned her an award in the WCF. Well, why not? The narrative may have been totally different from the typicals, and even if  flawed, I could still say they delivered as fairly as they could.

Talk about spirit awakening. Talk about literally, a thriller.