This review contains spoilers.
Mag-iina isn’t for everyone, but it does its best to earn its eccentricities.
Directed by Giancarlo Abrahan and written by Guelan Varela-Luarca (who are both fresh off working on the stage adaptation of Abrahan’s 2014 Cinemalaya darling, Dagitab), Mag-iina cares little about sticking to genre. It opens as a horror movie, with a young woman named Anj (Janine Gutierrez) returning to her ancestral home right before the 40th day of her estranged father’s passing. Anj has been having strange dreams about a child roaming the old house in search of her father. Something’s not right in the attic, but before Anj can open the door, she’s back in her real haunted house, with ghosts (both living and dead) out and about.
From there, Mag-iina makes quite a few narrative turns. We’re introduced to the main cast of women, which includes Anj’s uncontrollable mother Mita (Agot Isidro), her “holier than thou” aunt Ysobel (Cherry Pie Picache), and the stoic but terrified maid Katte (Ness Roque). Mag-iina is a horror movie no more, but instead a tense family drama. There is so much intrigue among the women, including Anj, and a lot of this drama shines through in the dialogue between them. Varela-Luarca is, after all, a seasoned dramaturg, and he did base Mag-iina’s script on his own award-winning play, Corridors. There is venom in the way the women speak, but you’ll need to pay attention — there is also always more than one meaning to the jabs and digs they throw at each other.
However, there is one matriarch that reigns supreme over this cursed dominion. Angela (a terrifying Jackie Lou Blanco) emerges from her attic art studio every night, and there is no escaping her hatred once she sits down at the dinner table. Blanco gives the strongest performance out of the already stacked cast, especially when she finally makes her grand entrance. No one is safe from her wrath, not even Ysobel’s young son Yñigo (Lucas Andalio), whose storyline was arguably one of the most unsettling parts of Mag-iina (but no spoilers). Angela has turned into the grotesque crone of the family, and her cruelty is what pushes the film into the territory of psychological thriller. She has much to say about hatred, about motherhood, and dissecting her monologues might just give you the key to understanding the many different thesis statements of Mag-iina.
Do All The Points In ‘Mag-iina’ Land?
If you can’t tell by now, there are a lot of moving parts to Mag-iina. There is the home itself, which brings with it its own set of secrets. Then there is the family that lives in said home, with each member carrying so much generational trauma, it’s a wonder they’ve survived under the same roof. Then there are the messages that each of them is trying to convey. Over the course of 105 minutes (less than two hours), the entire cast zips through the heavy themes of grief, love, legacy, and family, and not to mention a few thoughts on filial piety, destiny, and nationalism.
But it’s difficult to say whether or not Mag-iina sticks the landing every time it throws a new theme at Anj and her family. Some are stronger than others — the film has much to say about trauma and how every person responds to it differently, and there were moments throughout the film when I felt that it would have benefited from honing in on this one topic rather than casting such a wide net. Its thoughts on love of country (and what we’re willing to do for it) could have been fleshed out more, unless we were meant to see the whole premise of the film (i.e. living in a tender, but also dysfunctional household) as a metaphor for this experience. What’s more, there are so many twists, turns, and mother-offs that it’s hard to keep track of every message.
Mag-iina isn’t your typical horror movie, and it most certainly won’t make every audience member completely satisfied. But that isn’t its job. Instead, Mag-iina will make you wonder what the hell you just watched, all while mulling over important questions on what it means to be part of, to return to, and to escape from your family. For the brave of heart, catch multiple screenings of Mag-iina before this year’s Cinemalaya ends, because it’s the type of movie that needs you to decipher its messages again and again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mag-iina is about a young woman named Anj who returns to her ancestral home after the passing of her estranged father.
Mag-iina stars Janine Gutierrez as Anj, Cherry Pie Picache as Ysobel, Agot Isidro as Mita, Ness Roque as Katte, Jackie Lou Blanco as Angela, and Lucas Andalio as Yñigo.
Mag-iina is based on screenwriter Guelan Varela-Luarca’s award-winning play, Corridors.
Mag-iina is screening at select cinemas across Metro Manila that have partnered with the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
Yes, Mag-iina is worth watching, although it may not appeal to all audiences. The film jumps from genre to genre, and its multiple messages may not be so easy to follow.
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