Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles is a lot of fun. That may be the best way to describe it.

The conversation about this movie has largely been dominated by how it’s all shot in front of

a green screen and how it uses a lot of special effects. But that’s not what the appeal of this

movie really is. The beating heart of the movie is director Erik Matti and his twisted and

macabre sense of humor. The film goes to dark, violent places and asks people to laugh along.

It is a genuinely unique vision that people really ought to see.

Makoy (Dingdong Dantes) arrives in the provincial village of Pulupandan to win back the

heart of his pregnant girlfriend Sonia (Lovi Poe). He immediately finds himself rebuffed by

Sonia and her mother Fely (Janice de Belen). Makoy sticks around, however, and plans a

surprise birthday party for Sonia with her father (Joey Marquez). Makoy’s arrogant ways

earn him the ire of a family of pig farmers. Unfortunately for the young man, this is a family

with a secret: they are all aswang. And when the younger members of the clan hear about

his pregnant girlfriend, they make a plan to sneak into the house to eat the fetus. It isn’t long

before angry monsters come knocking at their door, and it’s up to Makoy to protect his love.

The film revels in blood and guts and all the other things that really shouldn’t be outside

a body. And it does quite creatively. Where else might one see intestines twirled around

a giant wooden fork like spaghetti? The film manages to be uniquely Filipino about its

violence, tying all of it to a larger culture of familial bonds and shared superstition.

The film does it all with tongue firmly in cheek, a streak of cultural satire running

through the seemingly endless mayhem. And it still manages to tell a pretty decent

story, with characters that feel distinctly familiar, living in a house environment that

feels oddly true.

The film isn’t really just about aswang. Its real bite lies in its characters, like the

swaggering Manileño protagonist who thinks he can always get his way, or the

neighborhood storekeeper who takes some joy in the failure of her neighbors.

Embedded in the overt violence is Matti’s distinct sense of humor. The production

isn’t as tight as it could be, however. It can be hard to follow the action sequences

at times, the film clearly straining under the weight of all the special effects. The CG

monsters are okay, but not particularly impressive. The sound mix is weirdly unbalanced

as well. Still, considering the scale of the production, it all came out well enough.

Dingdong Dantes is really exceptional in roles that call for more of an edge. He excels

at being standoffish, at having more confidence than a human should reasonably

possess. The film makes great use of Dantes’ particular talents, and it makes for a

very enjoyable performance. Lovi Poe doesn’t stand out as much in this picture, but

she does a fine job overall. Janice de Belen and Joey Marquez are dynamite in the

picture, with Marquez in particular stealing the entire movie in one hilariously twisted

scene. This is a great cast overall, and they all seem to having fun through all of it.

I feel that it is my responsibility to note that while Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles is

rated PG, it is extremely violent. Far more violent than films given harsher ratings.

Parents that don’t want their children exposed to eviscerations, beheadings, and

general dismemberment should be warned. That said, if you have a taste for the

macabre, this film really delivers. Though the production is a little frayed around the

edge, those flaws do little to detract from the overall dark, violent fun that the film provides.

DINGDONG DANTES

LOVI POE