MOVIE REVIEW: Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si REMINGTON - It's more than just ZOMBIES!

I expected to laugh my heart out and have fun and I did and I really did, but I was surprised that this film has more into it than its very striking title. The film was brave. Tackled a sensitive topic with much sensitivity and depth.

As a young boy, Remington (Mart Escudero) would regularly make fun of gay people, yelling at them on the street, derisively calling them bakla. One day he happens to do this to a gay man (Roderick Paulate) in the cemetery and decides to place a curse on the boy. Years later, much to his horror, the curse starts taking effect. Every night, he has strange dreams of being assaulted by a demon, and he wakes up to find that he’s slowly changing into that which he hates the most. His speech and manner all change, and he’s becoming attracted to his best friend. To make things worse, there appears to be a serial killer in their town targeting gay people.

Actually the film didn't need the zombies to be great and funny. But the thought put into it is very clever. Showing us what other people think about homosexuals that it's unnatural and something to be feared. You would hear a lot of gay lingos once Remington begins his transformation. People are laughing really loud that sometimes I couldn't hear the dialogues but putting subtitles into it is genious.

Aside from the film being really funny, it tackles homosexuality with much sensitivity and depth. The scene where Remington is already willing to be gay and he finds nothing wrong about it while Hannah (Lauren Young) told him that gay people do not give up is something remarkable. Also the scene of John Regala with Remington when he already agreed to be gay for his son.

When they told me that the name of the lead star is Mart Escudero, I said "who?". I don't know him really. But after millions of Filipinos watched this movie, he will not be forgotten. He is really good. He is so convincing as Remington. You would know that he studied the character really well and executed it with so much confidence. His scene in the toilet was really funny, especially his stairway scene with his bestfriend Jigs.  In that scene I heard people screaming with kilig, diri and laughter. It was so funny I must say, He should win best actor, really.=) Watch his audition video here:

                                                              (video from you tube)

Supporting cast was pretty solid. Should I say more about Eugene Domingo and Roderick Paulate. Their roles were short but sweet. Lauren Young is simply not a good actress and I must say her role is also the downside of the movie.  Her character came from Manila but didn't even had a hint that Remington is gay even with the tight shirt and the gay lingo. Don't know Kerbie Zamora until now, but Mart and him have great chemistry. Janice de Belen and her assistant were good too.

Zombadings is a subversive film. I've never seen a Filipino film like this before. I honestly didn't like the scenes with the zombies because I don't think they're needed, but it will not demerit the film to be great. It's brave and well made. It's smart and takes on a revolutionary approach in what Filipinos think of gay people. Some people may not understand, but this film and "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" took the indie films into another level. A must watch for movie lovers.

Rating: 4.5 stars