Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles: Movie Review

"Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" dares to amp up the game when it comes to how visual effects are being utilized in our local films. On that end, "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" proves to be a sure-fire game changer. It truly is revolutionary and proves that full usage of green screen and CGI is feasible in the local scene. While some may be satisfied with that aspect alone, great visuals does not equate to a great film. "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" does fall short on other crucial portions - mostly its penchant to have illogical situations and decisions by both protagonists and antagonists. The plot and its development is another story but as the dust settles, most would find "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" a good and worthy watch although not a perfect one.     

Makoy (Dingdong Dantes) will do whatever it takes to get back his girlfriend Sonia (Lovi Poe) who is pregnant with their child. He decides to take a trip to her remote hometown Pulupandan. Unfortunately, Makoy soon discovers that he is adamantly resented by Sonia's mother Fely (Janice de Belen). But Makoy decides that his child must have a father figure and stills wants to pursue and surprise Sonia on her birthday hoping that this will win her and Fely's heart. Nestor (Joey Marquez), Sonia's father, and Bart (Ramon Bautista), the household help, aid Makoy on his plan. But Makoy, during their trip to find a live pig for cooking, gets into trouble with a group of townsfolk who are not what they seem. Soon, the townsfolk whom Makoy offended turn out to be Tiktiks and are out to eat his unborn child.

"Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" is not your typical local horror film. In fact, it is nearer to an action film than a horror film and the feel and look of it closely resembles a "Resident Evil" film or an "Underworld" film. As such, also like those films, the plot, the storytelling and almost everything else takes a back seat to the visual feast that commences. In that regard, "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles" proves to be a stunning sight. The visuals are ultra-crisp and the use of green screen and CGI for almost everything happening on screen proves to be a game-changer. Not only does it add a distinct feel to the film but it also shows a road map that we are pretty sure will be copied by a lot of local flicks soon. It's not a bad thing if you ask us and if done right, it is rewarding. Although not all visuals are perfectly made, considering what other films did before "Tiktik", the film's CGI is already one of the best ever locally. As for the acting department, there were two who stood out namely Joey Marquez and Dingdong Dantes. Dingdong is the perfect fit for the rugged Makoy while Marquez's antics proves to be the key piece for the humor aspect.

Unfortunately, "Tiktik" proves to be quite lacking in terms of logic and plot. The story is simple enough but lacks any depth and the film has a lot of situations that didn't make any sense. The film also felt long and dragging at times (even some action sequences felt long). While "Tiktik" is not a perfect film, its flaws are forgivable if you know what you are getting yourself into. It's good enough to warrant a watch and if you want to support local cinema then this is probably the best film to show your support with its daring moves to shake some of the industry standards.

Rating: 3 reels

Why you should watch it:
- great visuals and cinematography give a very different feel to the film
- the acting was spectacular especially for Dingdong Dantes and Joey Marquez

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the plot and logic take a back seat to the visuals