I’m not going to lie and say I love horror movies. I am an absolute scaredy-cat when it comes to all things horror but despite the fact that I am easily spooked, I appreciate good stories— and that’s exactly what the movie Sunod is: a good story.
The day after Christmas, I was invited to a special screening of the movie Sunod, which, according to ANC, is a movie about “A loving mother struggling to make ends meet for her sick daughter takes a job as a call center agent—but eerie occurrences follow her in her new job.”
Director Carlo Ledesma calls it “new generation horror”. For someone who grew up watching the MMFF staple like Shake, Rattle and Roll, I liked that idea. My ate Jhana and I used to have a tradition watching Shake, Rattle & Roll and it was always kind of fun. Let’s be honest: the franchise wouldn’t be counted as horror hall of fame but the visual effects and all the screaming was something I had fun watching and talking about after. It definitely wasn’t scary.
Sunod, however, is definitely new generation horror. It doesn’t show you bloody ghosts or shower you with jump scares. It lets the audience participate in the eeriness of the film. The music score was definitely something I liked since it brought out that feeling of terror and anticipation that should be part of any horror movie.
One thing I noticed was how this film didn’t show us screaming actresses telling the audience that it is, in fact, time to be scared. The movie was eerily quiet, dark and the visual cues were set so well that the images still flash when I remember the movie. I liked how each scene seemed to be so organized. Each cut seemed to add to the anxiety the audience should feel in a horror film.
The Story of Sunod is interesting. At first, you kind of expect the usual jump scares and even where the ghost should be but it surprises you. It keeps you asking what will happen next: Is it a good lost ghost? Is it sinister? Why is she haunting her? Who’s going to die first?
The acting is impeccable. It’s not all screaming faces or crying. I particularly liked Krystal Brimner’s acting. She played Annelle, Carmina Villaroel’s daughter, who’s sick throughout the movie. She was great and her acting was pretty convincing to the point that my sister and I thought about how exhausting switching emotions that fast could be.
It was her character’s illness that forced Liv to find work at the call center. Shortly after she takes the job, creepy things start happening and eventually discovers the company’s secrets.
Overall, Sunod is a horror film that I think, defied the usual Filipino horror genre. It IS new generation in a sense that it doesn’t excessively try to scare the audience with obvious cues and audio. It scares the audience by letting the audience be a part of the story. It makes the audience feel like they’re in on the story, too. It’s refreshing to see something like this in Philippine Cinema because it simply means that things are evolving.
If you’re looking for something different to watch this holiday/MMFF Season, this is the movie to go for. I’d rate it 7/10.
dailygaelley 
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