‘Espantaho’ REVIEW: A Family Affair
‘Espantaho’ REVIEW: A Family Affair
Judy Ann Santos as Monet in Espantaho | Still taken from Quantum Film’s official Facebook page
Philippine horror has always been infused with introspection on the country’s social and historical realities. Much like other art forms, film as a medium will inevitably reflect the Filipino consciousness. This is why even in the plight of terror, whatever horror persists in the filmic reality will always coincide with the nation’s historical milieu; much like the presence of the Filipino’s family values in the midst of supernatural mystery. Director Chito Roño’s entry to the 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival, Espantaho, attempts to capture the rich practice of fusing together elements of drama and the chilling fright of horror.
The film introduces us to Monet (Judy Ann Santos), a woman grieving the recent death of her father, Pabling. She currently resides in the ancestral house left to her by her late father, along with her son, Keith (Kian Co), and her partner, Jack (JC Santos). When a mysterious painting of the countryside featuring a lone scarecrow gets left behind by Jack just as he leaves for Manila, sinister events begin to occur.
Two other lead characters joining Monet in this story are Rosa (Lorna Tolentino), Monet’s mother, and Adele (Chanda Romero), Pabling’s legal wife who shows up at the house unannounced after the burial.
The plot then weaves us through all nine days of the pasiyam taking place in Monet’s home. Throughout the nine days of prayer, it is not only a malevolent entity that haunts the four corners of the ancestral home, but also the ghosts of their family’s past that slowly begins to unravel between the three lead characters.
This is where the narrative begins to wither away. Espantaho has laid the groundwork for a plot that had the potential to be greatly interesting: a mysterious painting spawning in their home, unexplained disappearances, the titular entity acting as the film’s supernatural executioner with kills reminiscent of grotesque folktales, and the heart of it all — family drama. However, even with elements that are promising on paper, the film fails to deliver with its execution.
We go through the timeline in haste, and the film expects the audience to follow along despite the events ending abruptly. Even the characters themselves seem to lack the capability of letting the supernatural events that they’ve been experiencing linger long enough to feel any ounce of genuine terror. There are several instances throughout the film where the horror aspects are glossed over to make way for the family drama. For instance, the film rarely lets the weight of the disappearances — or what I like to call the casualties — stick long enough for us to feel the heaviness of the remaining characters’ worry or grief.
In one scene, the three leads are confronted with the fact that one of the people close to them has been taken by the malicious scarecrow from the painting. While for the characters in the film, what the disappearances imply is slightly vague at first, for us the audience, it is immediately clear that the victims have reached their finality. These people are dead. And though there might be a flicker of grief and despair shown in a scene following the discovery of the tragedy, the film cuts almost jarringly into the next agenda. Which is, more often than not, an exploration of family drama; forgetting about the disappearance almost immediately, and pushing the event into the backburner until it once again becomes relevant to the plot.
This is more so an issue of a weak script rather than an issue of performances. In fact, when the script allows them to, the three lead actresses deliver the performance of a lifetime.
Chanda Romero as Adele, Lorna Tolentino as Rosa, Judy Ann Santos as Monet, along with Adele’s children played by Janice de Belen and Mon Confiado in Espantaho | Still taken from Quantum Film’s official Facebook page
Espantaho shines with its talented cast. Santos, Romero, and Tolentino all tell three generations of motherhood and sacrifice. A masterclass is in session with the way these three leads portray a range of complexities through their lingering resentful stares, hopeful hesitations, and what is arguably the most enjoyable part of the film — the heated exchanges between the three of them. The performances allow the family drama aspect of the film to be sent to great heights, placing their arcs as the most memorable parts of the narrative.
As mentioned earlier, social realities such as the family’s generational wounds will inevitably unearth itself and find its place in the horror genre; but what Espantaho fails to do is reconcile drama with horror. The looming supernatural threat ever-present in the plot is almost drowned out by the powerful haunting of unhealed emotional plights. To put it bluntly, even the supposedly-scary antagonist of the bloodthirsty scarecrow in the painting is forgettable in comparison to the decades of familial issues that we learn throughout the course of the runtime.
Ultimately, the film's main flaw is its ambition. With all the aforementioned elements that seemingly set the film up with an interesting plot, it becomes soon evident that it’s trying to be too many things at once. Some storylines feel half-baked, wrapping things up quickly so the film could move onto the next scene; and some of the revelations come abruptly, coming in the form of explanations that feel all too didactic. Which, for me, doesn’t work well when crafting a tone for horror.
The scariest part in Espantaho is confronting pain — generations of it, the prejudice Monet endures as the receiving end of Adele’s grudge as Pabling’s illegitimate child, Adele still carrying the burden of betrayal even after her husband’s death, and Rosa’s haunting past that plagues her and her bloodline. In the face of supernatural horror, the film quickly becomes a family affair. By placing the family front and center, every intertwining branch of the plot connects back to them, making them the heart of the story.
Even with a not-so-cohesive plot and scares that don’t always land, Espantaho possesses a certain charm, bearing elements of old school horror films that we’ve come to adore. Much of this can be attributed to Chito Roño, who is no stranger to directing horror projects, with films like Feng Shui, Sukob, T2, and The Ghost Bride under his belt.
Despite its shortcomings, it makes for an enjoyable watch. Especially in tuning in for the powerful performances. While the horror aspects might not hit the nail on the head, the family drama absolutely delivers. Though, if you’re looking for a horror film that’ll guarantee to send an eerie chill riding up your spine, this is not it.
Espantaho premiered at the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival.
