Segunda Mano - Movie Review

More surprises, thicker plots, stellar cast- These await viewers in Segunda Mano. 

I have nothing but pure praises for Segunda Mano. From start until the end, I fell in love with it. This is the only horror film that made me laugh, teary-eyed, shocked, stunned, and horrified, so I bet it's worth watching for all! Star Cinema, Agostodos Pictures, and MJM Productions grabbed stars that excelled in their respective genres. The result? A collage of cast that brought out the best in their talents. No one outshone the other, but each gave a tour de force performance that made Segunda Mano perhaps one of the most intriguing movies. Intriguing not because of sensual scenes or anything we used to tagged the word along. Intriguing in the sense that you'll be intrigued to know who's the good and who's the bad, who's the guardian that looks after the protagonist and her loved ones, and who's the killer, the culprit that does the killing.

Two thumbs up for Kris Aquino's role as Mabel, the long-suffering daughter who lives with her mom (Helen Gamboa) and is haunted by a heart breaking past that she hasn't let go for 20 years. Single and simple, she runs an antique shop and finds a comic friend in Anna (Bangs Garcia).

One rainy evening, as the evenings in the movie were set in downpour scenes, he meets Ivan (Dingdong Dantes), an architect and a single father, whom he falls in love with. Then the haunting comes when Ivan's wife, Mariela (Angelica Panganiban), begins to show up. Mariela's possessions begin to make their way to Mabel's hands. First the red bag, then her red dress, and later her black car. Then came of the death of Mariela's best friend who flirts with Ivan, and of Dindo (Jhong Hilario), Anna's boyfriend. Anna believes it was Mariela who did it, so she brings up the case to Ivan but he shrugs off the claim. She seeks help of a psychic but it was to no avail. Then in a sweep of events, everything is revealed about the ghost and the killings. This is where the twist of the film takes place.

Kris Aquino shines once more in the horror-suspense flicks. The facial expression, the scream, they are all superb. If you fell in love with Feng Shui, Sukob, and Dalaw, bet your money with Segunda Mano and you'll have one great time! The film is no second banana. The plot isn't predictable as some would say upon seeing the teasers. The scripts are excellently written, and the characters did justice to their role.

Dingdong Dantes' performance is superb. As Ivan the father, he is loving and caring, as Ivan the lover, he is sincere and romantic. But there's more to find out! His is complex, unpredictable. If you watch him portray his role in this film, you're like watching a calm lake on a sunny day and a restless sea on a stormy night at the same time.

Helen Gamboa also lent her acting prowess. I made the wrong impression that she's just another vase at the unnoticed, corner table. She she's not. There were scenes when she shone and in it she glittered in her dramatic best. The breakdown scene when she made Mabel felt loved and her near-death moment when someone unexpected came to save her. These are her moments in the film that made her stand out.

Bangs Garcia is not to be left out. As Kris Aquino's best friend Anna, she is talkative, tactless, kikay, frank, stylish, and of course, concerned. She steals the scene and stops the show. I rolled out laughing when she ran across the other side of the highway to throw the bag and the dress all while screaming to her lungs in a hilarious manner.

Mosang also lent her comic timing in the film. As the psychic, Kris and Helen frequents her in the hopes of communicating with a dead loved one. Later, Kris sought her help to rid off the ghost.

And there's Angelica Panganiban who plays Dingdong's wife. The restless ghost, the victim denied from justice. Dingdong thinks she ran away and went with his lover, but her hauntings proved she is dead. She is a surprise, a twist, and the key to solving the mystery of why the film is titled Segunda Mano!


I think Segunda Mano fared well and better ahead a pack of mediocre movies had  they made the film either 100 percent horror, or 100 percent comedy. I bet it'll break records in the festival had this been made a comedy. Or so I think. Anyway, I had a great time watching. Yes, it's a cross between horror, comedy, drama, and thriller, but if you stand in between  that cross, you will come to appreciate that in some ways, Segunda Mano is worth buying a ticket to the movie house.