Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP)is an annual celebration in the Philippines, organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines to champion the local film industry through the exclusive screening of Philippine films in all theaters in the country. With a highly successful inaugural run in 2017, PPP is back this year with a fresh slate of Philippine films aiming to cultivate and foster the industry.
Among the lineup for PPP 2018 is We Will Not Die Tonight, part of the eight-entry main category of the festival. Directed by Richard V. Somes and starring Erich Gonzales, the action-packed thriller is one of the few recent manifestations of how far now can action films go in the country in terms of potential, in spite of some essential improvements to work on.
Gonzales plays the lead character Kray, a stuntwoman that’s constantly seeking the next big gig to make ends meet with her ailing father, who’s a retired stuntman himself. Despite being overworked and underpaid, she remains determined she’ll score the job that will take her family out of their woes. That is, until a supposedly promising opportunity she accepts with her friends turns out to be a dodgy operation, forcing her to throw morals aside and fight for her literal survival.
It is said that the whole film was shot in only eight days, and with the product in result, that’s already an outstanding feat. The well-choreographed fight scenes brim with thrilling energy that has not failed to drive audiences to the edge of their seats. The cast also delivered significantly in their own way—Gonzales is a star in action as she transitions from her usual dramatic roles into a feisty character ready to take on and defeat scoundrels with her physical resolve and her ingenious initiative. Max Eigenmann as Klay’s friend Cheche is also someone to watch out for, especially in her choice to light a cigarette in the most astonishing time. Production design and cinematography deserve their own commendation as well—empty isolated buildings with eerie lighting has somehow brought each of the bloody fight scenes equal amounts of fear and beauty.
There are still some developments the film can consider, with its share of lacks and excesses. There are a lot areas of the story the script can be built up on, like the injustices surrounding the gig economy and the issue of human trafficking, but the screenplay seems to only treat them as secondary—mere addendums to offset the lack of fullness in the plot. Some lines also felt utterly unnecessary, along with slow-motion editing effects that do not contribute to the suspense surrounding the film at all.
Nonetheless, what We Will Not Die Tonight misses in plot is made up for in the execution of the action trope. With the amount of time and resources exhausted in production, the film already is a significant achievement, paving the way towards a hopeful future for the Philippine action scene.
CAST
Erich Gonzales, Alex Medina, Thou Reyes, Max Eigenmann, Paolo Paraiso, Jeffrey Tam, Jess Mendoza, Sarah Abad, Marella Torre, Nico Dans, Ayesha Arreza
PRODUCTION
Director: Richard V. Somes
Story and Screenplay: Richard V. Somes
Producers: Francis de Veyra, Jaime Dumancas, Ricky Gallardo, John Joseph Tan
Executive Producers: Erika Chryselle Gonzales Gancayco, Richard V. Somes
Associate Producer: Arianne D. Dulay
Line Producer: Riza Montelibano
Music: Francis de Veyra
Director of Photography: Alex Espartero
Editor: Jaime Dumancas
Production Designers: Donald Camon, Julius Somes, Richard V. Somes
Assistant Director: Jaime Dumancas
Sound: Immanuel Varona
