AN INVITATION to a lavish party attended by the who’s who of society serves as the perfect backdrop for a mother’s vindictive return.
What started off as a night of extravagance and careful observation soon transitioned into a tense exploration of high-stakes twists and secrets that fueled a mother’s deep-seated desire for vengeance.
A 2024 Philippine mystery crime thriller film directed and co-produced by Dan Villegas, Uninvited premiered on Dec. 25 as part of the ten entries of the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival. It follows Lilia Capistrano (Vilma Santos), who assumed the name Eva Candelaria as she infiltrates a wealthy house party to avenge the death of her daughter Lily (Gabby Padilla) at the hands of billionaire Guilly Vega (Aga Muhlach) and his henchmen.
Uninvited starts strong, immediately unveiling Lilia’s resolution to participate in Guilly’s 55th birthday party. She conceals herself under the identity of Eva Candelaria—a vengeful persona that strays from her usual profile as a caring teacher and mother—a decade after her daughter’s death. This particular opening, paired with the film’s sharp execution, captivated watchers right from the start, proving that a straightforward setup can be more engaging than a complex introduction.
The film found comfort in constantly jumping to the past by exploring the events that led to Lily and his boyfriend Tofy’s (Elijah Canlas) disappearance and Lilia’s motivation to finally seek revenge. The flashbacks show Lilia preparing to get back at the persons responsible for her daughter’s disappearance by gathering information about their background and indulging in combat training.
These fragments of the past are what push Lilia to take matters into her own hands, placing the audience on a rollercoaster of emotions.
The film’s violent scenes, which are mostly revealed in flashbacks, proved to be one of the movie’s strongest points. Guilly’s manipulative manner, from his conversations with Lilia to his speech at his birthday party fully established his villainous schemes and convinced the audience to loathe his behavior.
Guilly’s malevolence is cemented in the scene where Lily stares into the camera as he sexually harasses her while his birthday speech plays in the background. It juxtaposes the pleasant image that Guilly often displays in public with his immoral and illegal aspirations behind the curtains.
The buildup that took place in the first half carefully engaged the audience to piece every detail together. Such a narrative attempt could have been enough to push the plotline forward and lead to a powerful and creative conclusion.
However, this was not the case as Uninvited fell apart during Lilia’s killing spree in the latter half of the film. The film failed to further explore Guilly’s character and clarify his actual role. Is he a businessman, a serial killer, or a politician? The ambiguity surrounding Muhlach’s character prevailed throughout the film.
In a scene where Lilia confronts Guilly to ask about his intentions, he responds that she does not need to ask about his identity. This left not only Lilia, but also the audience, in confusion, for the film never revealed an answer to this pivotal question. It left the viewers to decide for themselves whether to assume that Guilly is simply a man who is powerful, influential, and wealthy, or view him as someone more sinister.
Nicolette Chantal Remegio Vega’s (Nadine Lustre) anticlimactic and predictable storyline also contributed to the film’s downfall in the latter half. The movie relied solely on Nicolette’s sudden narration of her backstory which turned out to be somewhat awkward and out of place. This would have been more effective if it was retold in a flashback similar to what was done for Lily and Tofy’s past considering that Nicolette is one of the more important characters. Unfortunately, the lack of an in-depth dive into her story is what contributed to the story’s ineffective resolutions. Nicolette’s unclear intentions ultimately wound Lilia’s long-awaited cathartic ending.
Despite these flaws, veterans Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach carried much of the film’s highlights. Santos’ portrayal of a sweet mother and teacher turned revenge-fueled assassin who had nothing to lose and Muhlach’s portrayal of a mysterious antagonist whose only aspiration was to satisfy himself regardless of the consequences served as a testament to their versatility in acting across different genres.
The sound design and music of the film relied heavily on satisfying, bassy notes to build up tension and justify its position in the crime-thriller genre. Loud and surprising sound effects, such as abrupt and repeated gun fires, magnified the intensity of important scenes such as the killing of Tofy.
The film’s cinematography was also a feast for the eyes. Its dark, reddish hue complemented the narrative’s menacing and vengeful tone. These visual and auditory aspects worked side by side to fully engage the viewers in the narrative, elevating the movie’s atmosphere despite faltering in the storytelling aspect.
Uninvited starts off strong thanks to Santos’ and Muhlach’s acting prowess coupled with the backstories that connected the characters together and its technical execution, engaging viewers in a gripping tale of loss, power, and retribution. However, the film fell flat in terms of depth, particularly in the exploration of Lustre’s and Muhlach’s characters and relationships.
While Uninvited showcased flares of brilliance in its performances and technical aspects, its inconsistent pacing, unresolved whats and hows and struggle to take advantage of its compelling and ambitious narrative in the latter part held it back from becoming the masterful mystery crime-thriller film it aspired to be, ultimately leaving much to be desired. F
