When you think of your all-time favorite Holiday films, you probably think of movies that bring warmth to your heart. Life affirming films are typically the norm during the Christmas season, as they have a unique capability of transforming the coldness of the season into a more cozy, welcoming vibe. While that’s one genre of Holiday films, it isn’t the only genre. There are Christmas Love Stories that will make your heart flutter in sweetness. There are Christmas Comedies that prioritize big laughs and applause. Of course, there are animated Christmas Movies for the entire family to enjoy. Then, as they retire for the night, there’s that darker, more sinister type of film: the Christmas Horror — a genre which the Metro Manila Film Festival sees familiarity of.
Serving as one of Viva Films’ entry for the 48th Metro Manila Film Festival, The Techno-Horror film written & directed by Mikhail Red, with Nikolas Red serving as a co-writer — “Deleter” — follows Lyra (Nadine Lustre), a worker at an online content moderation office where “deleters”, as employees are known, filter out graphic contents that are being uploaded to different social media platforms. Lyra is oftentimes seen by her coworkers as someone who couldn’t seem to care less about the sensitive materials they see on a daily basis, making her “censorship” job seem pleasant for her. Unbeknownst to them, however, it that her indifference to the horrors online conceals the in-grained pain that she likewise also wants to be forgotten.
This movie is perfect for those who wishes to undergo a cinematic thrilling experience during the holiday. While it is not recommended for children who are younger than the age of 13 due to it containing graphic scenes, the fun of reacting in a horrifying manner with your fellow moviegoers is such a must-witness cinema experience. The plot introduces a new concept to the Philippine cinema by having a story that emphasizes on the human psychology element as well as the morbidity of what other humans can do to their fellow people, while also retaining the traditional “ghost in the office” storyline that the masses are typically used to.
The film is visually stunning. The camera angles appeared to have a certain purpose. The cinematography made the film look like an actual thriller movie. The sound design also adds to the suspenseful aspect of the film.
Viewers might see themselves also relating to the abstract of the film’s story, as the movie made a great job on showing how terrible it feels like to have a job on a poorly-conditioned workplace. The film os highly recommended for those who likes to experience something that differs to the lighter-tone of the holidays.
