Movie Review: Mallari

Mallari is a partly fictional, partly true-to-life account inspired by the true story of Fr. Mallari, a parish priest in the 1800s who killed 57 people before being caught, thereby becoming the first and only recorded Filipino serial killer ever, antedating Jack The Ripper by more than 60 years.

In search of his family’s supernatural cure for his dying girlfriend, JONATHAN MALLARI digs into his 1800s serial killer priest ancestor, SEVERINO— triggering, not a cure but a curse: malevolent hauntings, uncontrollable soul travel, and the mysterious return of the serial killings in present-day. JONATHAN soon learns that to in order to heal his girlfriend, he will have to kill, too, just as ancestor SEVERINO did. Will JONATHAN use the ancestral curse: kill so that his beloved girlfriend can live?

Mallari stands out with its topnotch production value, interesting story and entertainment factor. This film is best watched with friends and you will definitely enjoy watching it together. It is a scream out fest every minute and plays and linger in your mind while watching.  Piolo Pascual gives it all in this film playing three roles and he delivers equally and gives distinction for each of his characters. He is truly a dependable actor and I can say that Mallari is one of his best films. Janella Salvador on the other hand surprisingly delivers a mature role with a spunk and has overflowing chemistry with Piolo Pascual. Her presence on screen is really felt and her role gives added excitement to the film. The production design is noteworthy from small details to larger scale. The editing is superb with its non linear storytelling that is smoothly woven to the wholeness of the film. So If you want to watch a campy horror film that is worth your money, Mallari is definitely a good watch. 

My Verdict: 5/5