Lt. Hermes Papauran, one of the best investigators of the Philippines, is in a deep moral crossroad, being a witness to his institution's being a party to a murderous anti-drug campaign, which is spearheaded by no less than the president of the country, Rodrigo Duterte. The moment Duterte sat as the new president of the Philippines in the year 2016, his biggest act was launching his so-called war against drugs, shocking the world for its brutality and the ensuing human rights abuses. Extra-judicial killings attributed to drugs have become rampant and most of the crimes are connected to the police. The atrocities are corroding Lt. Papauran physically and spiritually. He suffers from severe psoriasis, a skin disease resulting from insidious anxiety. A dark past haunts him and it has eventually and literally come back for a reckoning, for a closure.
Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon is the most pleasurable and understandable movie of Lav Diaz. It is easy to digest and the message is obviously conveyed. John Lloyd Cruz, Ronnie Lazaro and Sharmaine Buencamino acting prowess and back to back to back good performance in this film is a must watch. The performance of the three are powerful and the strength of the film, that helps to deliver the depth of the story. This film gives us another insight and story to tell about the harsh reality of Exti-ajudicial killing (EJK). The cinematography is also awesome as this was shot in 16mm black and white film so this gives you more of a nostalgic old vibes film while watching. The dialogue of the film is also commendable for being tactful and truthful. There is an inner message and symbolism in the film that holds well to the story arc of the film. Kapag Wala Nang Mga Alon is another Lav Diaz film that is worth watching with a relevant message dedicated to our country.
My Verdict: 4/5
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