Manila's Finest (2025) Movie Review

Manila's Finest (2025) Movie Review: Far From the Finest

From its trailer alone, Manila’s Finest (2025) showed a lot of promise. Its retro, nostalgic vibe paired with a star-studded cast made it feel like it had all the ingredients to become a modern classic. Unfortunately, that promise is exactly where the film peaks. What we ultimately get is a case of wasted potential. While Manila’s Finest successfully maintains its cinematography, almost everything else left us wondering what we had just watched, and why it had to fall so far from being the finest.

Set in 1969, the Manila Police District (MPD) prides itself on maintaining peace and order with its own brand of justice, earning them the moniker “Manila’s Finest.” However, shifting political tides and pressure from the country’s top brass force the MPD to work alongside METROCOM, a unit whose methods toe the line between unlawful and inhumane.

Visually, Manila’s Finest is undeniably impressive. Bolstered by a veteran cast and Raymond Red’s distinct cinematography and production skills, the film excels in recreating the era it wants to portray. The attention to detail in its sets, props, and costumes effectively transports viewers five decades into the past. A time when the Philippines was steeped in uncertainty, with a looming dictatorship casting its shadow over the nation. Piolo Pascual delivers a solid performance in the lead, but it’s Cedric Juan who truly stands out, fully embodying a menacing presence with his controlled, villainous energy. On visuals alone, the film deserves top honors. Its underlying message is also a sobering one, drawing parallels between past and present. While the dictatorship may be gone, the same corrupt and abusive systems persist, a point the film manages to at least communicate through its narrative.

However, despite these strengths, watching Manila’s Finest proved to be a struggle. The film is, quite frankly, a convoluted mess. Its narrative lacks cohesion, with scenes unfolding one after another without a strong sense of connection or progression. Piolo Pascual’s lead character is intentionally flawed, but certain narrative choices such as the inclusion of a mistress subplot feel unnecessary and poorly justified. Rather than adding depth, moments like these come across as attempts to inject grit and realism, but instead feel forced and artificial. In the end, the experience was more exhausting than engaging. For all its ambition, we found ourselves bored more often than invested. The vision was there, and the technical craftsmanship is commendable, but Manila’s Finest ultimately falters where it matters most: execution. 

Rating: 1 and a half reels