Listen to me

Bleeding Ears

It is now true that we could make a Hollywood kind of film not that that is a meritorious feat. Yam Laranas remakes his own film Sigaw (Shout) and advance it further for the world to see. The Echo (Alingawngaw) is the result. Although it is not even near its translation, I think it is more appropriate to the feel of the film. The film’s subtle vibrations is spot-on at the start and progresses to a coherent and rip-roaring highlight of our very own Iza Calzado. The Echo is a mood-bestowed horror thriller that begins with a sigh and ends speed high.

Bobby (Jesse Bradford) is an ex-convict who moves to an apartment building where his mother resides when she was alive. The death is quite mysterious and little by little, Bobby notices weird stuff in the apartment. Later on, he meets Carly (Jamie Bloch), his previous girlfriend. Carly is hesitant to rekindle the past affair but changes her mind after a while. While fixing the relationship he have with Carly, he starts to hear noises from the apartment. Strangely, it is a voice of a woman who is getting beaten by her husband. As the story dwells unto the mysteries deeper, not only the echo becomes clear; violent revelations will be witnessed if you choose not to listen.

The pivotal role Iza Calzado plays is Gina, a battered wife that asks for Bobby’s help. There is something weird in her manifestations. This is same with her daughter who plays her fancy piano along the corridor of the building. Although it is not implied, Gina could be a Filipina; well she is played by one, obviously. She is helpless and lonely. But in her eyes, we could see her lovely stares that evanesce within the begrimed walls and her sullen appearance. Calzado reprises her role with radiance, caught unaware that a battered look could still be damn gorgeous. It is my pleasure to help her out in that situation. But no single soul cares for the weeping beauty and the trouble slowly rises.

Eric Burnt and Shintaro Shimosawa supervises the screenplay Yam Laranas made together with Roy Iglesias. The improvements are more likely an expected result since it ought to be credulous even for remakes. And I think it is the best way to showcase the great aspects of the original idea. It really is a great accomplishment for Yam Laranas to bring to light how The Echo should be made into a film. Just like an echo, it is hard to capture where it comes and he wants the film to linger in our senses from all directions. And we have to recall and be mindful that Laranas excels in the cinematography department. It really is a showcase of his talent. If he gets to be subtle and could get the most out of the use of all the senses, he will achieve a symphony of scares. Even though the traditional horror stories are a healthy exercise of connecting with an audience, he could still squeeze more ideas that no one has possibly gripped – it is for him to discover. With that, he will be a true master of Horror. The Echo is one of those credible horror films but to us Filipinos, it is a triumph.

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Charlie Koon's Rating: