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.
