Movie Review: Maledicto

Xavier "Xavi" Lavezares was supposed to be a brilliant psychiatrist with a bright future ahead of him, until his sister Mara kills herself in front of him in the throes of a supposed demonic possession. Trying to find answers in a vocation he thought he'd never take up, Xavi becomes a man of the cloth who spends his spare time taking apart cases for exorcism. 

After the Vatican calls for an increase in the number of exorcists worldwide, Fr. Xavi is tapped to become to an exorcist. But when a botched exorcism ends in murder and leaves a supernatural echo from the trauma of his past, he enters a downward spiral as he is forced to confront the possibility of a reality far greater than his own. 

When idealistic young clairvoyant Sister Barbara "Barbie" Vergel de Dios finds one of her former students experiencing the symptoms of possession, she is convinced that it is real. But she has trouble finding an exorcist to believe her.

When Fr. Xavi is put on the case as a last resort, she sees one last chance to find help for the girl. With the aid of his keen observation skills, his rigorous learning, a heady clairvoyant assistant and perhaps a little faith, the cynical Fr. Xavi must find the means to confront a gripping darkness bigger than himself, and in doing so find some measure of purpose and redemption.

Maledicto is a refreshing take of psychological horror thriller Filipino film that tackles curse and exorcism. The horror elements are decently delivered into jump scares.The horror in the film is within its characters that effectively embodied into the story. Tom Rodriguez portrays a different flavor of a modern priest that gave an entertainment value and ice breaker in this film. Jasmin Curtis-Smith on the other hand is as always a reliable actress that convey a solemn character as a mysterious nun in this film. Miles Ocampo, in her most challenging role transform herself successfully into a scary young woman possessed by a demon. So if you're a fan of a psychological horror film with a twist, you will surely like this.

My Verdict: 3.5/5

PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE PREMIERE OF MALEDICTO

 

The Lead Cast of Maledicto: Miles Ocampo, Jasmin Curtis-Smith and Tom Rodriguez

The Cast of Maledicto: Miles Ocampo, Jasmin Curtis-Smith, Inah De Belen, and Tom Rodriguez

The Cast of Maledicto with Director Mark Meily

Dennis Trillo graces the premiere of Maledicto

Jake Vargas graces the premiere of Maledicto

Miles Ocampo graces the premiere of Maledicto

Carla Abellana graces the premiere of Maledicto

Jasmin Curtis-Smith

Tom Rodriguez